It's Always the Quiet Ones
by Ryoga's best friend
Summary: The dark night of the new moon reveals a shocking truth as Zazie deals with what lies within. A Zazie-centric Story.
1. Chapter 1

It's Always the Quiet Ones

by Ryoga's best friend

Chapter 1

Shizune Minamoto looked up from her paperwork as the door cracked open. In peeked a middle school girl with short-cropped white hair. It contrasted with her darkened skin and the mixed brought attention to the pair of colored tattoos across her face. The guidance councilor smiled softly. "Ah, Rainyday-san. Please come in," she said, motioning to the girl. Zazie slipped in smoothly and shut the door behind her silently. Her hands clasped behind her back. She looked over to a calendar to the side with a blank expression. Shizune could see that her eyes held a puzzled note. "No, you didn't miss an appointment. This is a separate matter to our usual sessions." She told the girl, seeing her silent question. "Please, take a seat."

Zazie gave a curt nod and moved to sit in the offered chair. She folded her hands onto her lap before regarding the older woman with a blank look.

Shizune read that as an indication to speak. "Well, as you know Springfield-sensei has recently come here in hopes of becoming a teacher. He was meant to bunk with your classmates Asuna-san and Konoka-san, as I'm sure you may have heard. But this arrangement hasn't turned out as well as we would've hoped. Asuna-san has requested that we find him another place to stay. Though, I'm sure you've heard all of that through your classmates."

"Yes." Zazie's voice was soft but easily heard... likely due to how little she spoke to begin with.

"Well, I think this is merely an overreaction, but it has already happened twice in the scant few weeks he has been here." She sighed and started tapping a pen against the desk. "I feel it may be best to move him. There has been some interest from your classmates to give him board but both rooms already have three residents, and I would rather not crowd you girls any more than necessary." Shizune explained. Though the ulterior motive to deny their offers was for Negi's protection from possible advances. "I called you because you are one of the few students who does not have a roommate at all." She could see the girl's eyes widen a fraction as the issue was revealed. The guidance counselor couldn't help but be a little worried by the otherwise lack of reaction. Zazie always seemed to distance herself from others. "This is purely voluntary, of course, but I want to ask you if you wouldn't mind taking Negi in."

"I... see." The girl had a rare pause in her reply. To Shizune's tuned senses, it seemed that Zazie was as shocked as she would allow herself to show.

"I know this is a little unorthodox but, teacher or not, he's simply too young to be living on his own." Shizune said allowing her maternal side to show through her voice. She received a distracted nod from Zazie. "That aside, consider this a personal request." At that, Zazie blinked with a small amount of puzzlement in her eyes. "Zazie, I'm worried about you. You keep distancing yourself from the other girls, it's not healthy."

"I'm fine." Her soft voice came out a little firmer. Shizune sighed.

"I'm not asking you to change who you are, I know you can speak Japanese just fine... and I know you have a beautiful smile when you perform with the acrobatic club." The girl looked downward slightly, cheeks a little red. "You have to let some people in; you don't have to be alone with your animals. So please, will you give it a try? If it's too much, I'm sure Asuna-san will calm down in a few weeks. What do you say?" Shizune quietly observed the stoic girl's little gestures. Fingers twitching in her lap, her deep contemplative gaze as she mulled the whole situation over before she slowly raised her head to hold the counselor's gaze. She didn't utter a word instead give a steady nod. "I'm glad. I'll make arrangements for the change. How soon do you think you can have the room ready?" she pressed as Zazie stood.

"Morning." Her reply was simple and to the point, like always. Shizune nodded and smiled to the girl.

"Thank you, Rainyday-san. I'll inform Negi that he'll be moving in with you tomorrow morning." The girl bowed before ghosting out of the room with only the light click of the door betraying her presence. Shizune leaned back in her chair with a sigh. "I'm sorry to use you like this, Negi-kun, but I think you could do that girl a lot of good," she murmured with a shade of guilt. Hopefully, this could work out well for both of them. Negi would have a place to stay and perhaps one of her more worrisome cases could solve itself...

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Negi sighed as he stared into his cup of tea. He wasn't feeling like much of a person or a mage right now. It seemed his foul-ups finally caught up with him and Asuna's patience had worn out. It hadn't been a long stay, but it had been fun. Asuna was actually quite a nice girl and Konoka made it a point to cook breakfast in the morning. He had much to improve about himself, that much was true. He would just have to do better... Just like Asuna had told him, he needed to stop relying on his magic for everything and try and solve problems on his own. Asuna-san...

"Now, what did I say about keeping that long face?" Takahata's amused voice brought the boy from his musings with a light blush.

"Sorry, Takamichi, just hard not to." He replied taking a sip of his tea.

"We all make mistakes Negi-kun. Try not to let it get you down. Asuna's a fiery girl, but she is quick to forgive. Give her some time to cool off and you'll be fine," the elder teacher said with a smile.

"I suppose your right... Well, thank you for putting me up for the night. I'll try and find someplace to stay tomorrow."

"No need. Shizune called me up a little while ago. You'll be going back to the dorms tomorrow."

"The dorms? But I thought-"

"Not Asuna's room. Another girl volunteered to take you in."

"Volunteered?" Negi blinked. Several girls passed through his mind. Each image made him more and more nervous. "Um, who volunteered?" he asked with a tremor of unease. Takahata smirked lightly.

"Zazie Rainyday."

Negi blinked, confused. The name rang a bell, but a face wasn't coming to mind. He reached for his bag. After a little rummaging, he pulled out the class register. It took some searching, but he spotted the name and the rather unique looking girl. "Zazie Rainyday, student number 31... She volunteered? But she's hardly spoken a word to me before... even in class."

"Ah, Rainyday-san is what you would call the 'strong silent type'. She doesn't talk much at all to anyone. She'll sometimes even prefer to mime over speaking."

"Really? Hm..." The child teacher looked over the picture once more. "The magic club?" He looked to Takahata with a raised eyebrow.

"I think it's stage magic, but I don't know for sure. She's the only member of the magic club."

"The only member... curious," Negi noted as he looked to the other club listed. "The Nightmare Circus?"

"Yeah, that's one of the acrobatics clubs on campus. She's the youngest member, but I hear she's quite good. Shizune swears that their performances are quite impressive, though I'm shamed to admit I've never seen one." Takahata said chuckling a little. Negi nodded before looking back at the picture once more, regarding the blank look of his future roommate.

A new day had risen to find Negi standing once more in front of the dorms. It was Sunday, so he would have the day to get settled with this new situation. Granted, he was just moving to a different hallway but it would still feel like a world away. He paused on the stairway and released a sigh as he turned out towards the quad. His hands unconsciously went to his lips. The image of Asuna with her hair down looking in his eyes with that determined gaze flashed through his mind. The memory had caused him a fitful sleep for most of the previous night. Negi shook his head.

"It was my first kiss too..." he muttered. With a frown, he started back up the stairs. He did his best to put the memory aside for the moment as he opened the door to the lobby. Zazie was already waiting there for him. The child teacher blinked at the sight of her leaning against the wall, balancing a spinning coin on her finger before rolling it across her knuckles. It was the first time he'd seen the girl out of uniform. Even in casual dress of jeans and a t-shirt, her exotic features shined through. She looked up from her little dexterity drill regarding him with a blank look identical to her class picture.

"Um, Rainyday-san, correct?" He inquired, receiving a small nod in return. She moved away from the wall and casually pocketed the coin. He gave the approaching girl a deep bow. "Thank you for taking me in on such short notice. I hope this wasn't too much of an inconvenience," he said, straightening. Zazie waved her hands in a dismissive manner with a small shake of the head but little changed in her face. Her blank stare unnerved him with each passing moment. Negi did his best not to show his discomfort. "Perhaps we could go up to the room so I can drop my things off?"

Zazie regarded him for a long moment before nodding and motioning for him to follow. She casually glided over to the stairwell with her hands clasped behind her back.

Negi followed shortly behind her. Zazie was a curious girl, from what he could tell from the limited contact he had with her. He could hardly believe he had overlooked her. She possessed such a peculiar way about her that made her stand out. But somehow she managed to blend in and go unnoticed all this time. _Some teacher I am..._

Zazie glanced back at Negi who was following with his head down. A dark cloud of gloom was almost visible over his head. She cocked her head curiously before turning and walking backwards, maintaining the smoothness in her stride. She had never paid the young teacher much attention before, considering he got enough from the rest of the girls in didn't seem necessary. She looked the boy over slowly, listening to his light steps accompanying her own soundless movements. She slid to a stop and raised her hand, jutting a single finger out. Negi kept walking, unaware of his companion's movement and was rewarded with a nail light poking his drooped forehead.

"Ow!" he stopped and rubbed the spot. His puzzled eyes met her blank stare once more. She motioned to her right toward her door. "Oh... we're here?" he observed with a small flush of embarrassment. The performer gave a single nod in reply before she moved to unlock the door. Negi adjusted the straps on his backpack feeling a small tremor of nervousness. He really wished Takamichi was around more, and then he wouldn't have to share rooms with his students.

He hadn't had any real expectations about what the room would look like, but he still had to admit he was a little surprised. It was actually quite... homey. It was about the same size as Asuna and Konoka's room but with only one person there was a lot more open space. A single bed sat under the window. It was made neatly with an aged but colorful quilt. Across the other side was a rather spacious desk with a few small tools and a set of paints kept across the back. Right next to desk was a large cage filled with at least a dozen birds of different species, all twittering happily at their arrival. The messiest area was by the closet which overflowed with all manner of outfits, several of which definitely didn't look like they could be worn outside, others sparkled while some were adorned with feathers. Mixed with the costumes were several boxes marked 'props'.

When he finally managed to tear his eyes away from that they found a bookcase filled with figurines and models of all sorts, mostly leaning toward a fantasy theme. He moved closer to get a better look. The click of the door closing behind him went unnoticed. He couldn't get a good look at the upper shelves, so he settled with one at his eye level. A noble-looking dragon stood protectively over a woman with regal clothing across from a pair of large two headed lions. "Wow! These look really nice. It's like a picture out of a storybook." Negi enthused. He turned to his student, who sat on her bed watching him curiously. "You have a wonderful collection, Rainyday-san." She blinked and gave a nod. He moved over to another dragon figurine. This one was of a healthy bronze in color and was perched on a rock.

"...Thank you."

The soft voice brought Negi's attention back to the girl on the bed. Her gaze held a note of puzzlement at his surprise. After a moment, she gave a slight shrug and stood. _I think that's the first time I've ever heard her speak._ Negi wondered at that while watching her move towards the bird cage. Her voice was soft, but clear, and she bore a slight accent that he couldn't quite. He kept an eye on her as she tended to the birds, carefully measuring seed into their dishes, checking their water. All the while, the birds never made an attempt to leave the cage. Finished, she took a step back and gave a nod. Two of the birds flew out. One took rest on her shoulder and the other landed on her outstretched finger.

Her expression never changed throughout but Negi couldn't help getting the impression that she was smiling. He caught himself before he could be accused of staring and turned to his backpack. "I better get to unpacking. I hope you don't mind, Rainyday-san?" He made sure to look her way to catch the nod or head shake. He wasn't disappointed. He acknowledged the subtle gesture before he set to work.

Zazie gently placed the bird on her finger back inside the cage. It hopped up to the closest feeder and began to eat. The second bird flew back in on its own before she closed the cage back up. She contented herself to watch them hop around and twitter to one another.

"Um, is there some place I can put my things?"

The child teacher spoke up, catching her attention once more. She regarded the boy's nervous smile with a slight tilt of her head. She moved over to the closet and slid the door aside, revealing a cleared out space roughly the same size as hers.

"Oh, thank you." Negi said with a chagrined smile. "I hope it wasn't too much work to move. You seem to have a lot of things to store. Sorry," he apologized with a small note of guilt.

The performer shook her head but couldn't help noting the slight slump in his posture and slight dim in his gaze. She retook her seat on the bed and silently watched him put his things away.

His backpack seemed large considering his size but he didn't have too much in the way of possessions. A couple of suits, a small collection of casual clothes but still all professional in style, defying his age. He kept things neat and organized his clothes only taking up less than a third of the space she had cleared for him. She leaned her head on one of her hands while Negi worked on with a small smile on his face. His expression told that he was totally focused on his task. Her lip twitched downward slightly, watching the smile as if something was just out of reach. Two sharp beeps caused her to blink and break her gaze.

Negi turned to see Zazie reach and tap a button on an alarm clock by her bed before standing. She headed to the door but paused just before it and turned to Negi. She pointed once to herself and then to the door. It took a moment for the boy to come to a logical conclusion.

"Oh, you have to go." He received a nod in response. "I suppose you will be gone for a bit then?"

Zazie's expression didn't flinch but she seemed to be thinking before she raised two fingers.

"Two... hours?" he ventured.

A shake of the head.

"Two 'o clock?"

A nod.

"Okay, but I have a staff meeting around one. I'll probably be back around six. Takamichi wanted to meet for an early dinner." he explained. His student gave a small nod, "I guess I'll see you then. Have a good afternoon, okay?" She tilted her head slightly, but nodded before slipping outside leaving Negi to slump over.

"This is going to make things complicated," he muttered. The child teacher was well aware of shy students, he had a few in his class mixed in with the rabble. But Zazie... She wasn't shy... exactly. She was just... Well...

Quiet. Very quiet.

Negi shook his head, "I'll have to work on that," he decided as he stood. Something on the desk caught his eye. "A photo?" Curious, he made his way over to get a better look. "Huh?"

It was of Zazie and another person. It was hard to say who, or even what, they were exactly because of the colorful mask they wore coupled with an androgynous frame. Both were dressed in elaborate costumes. Zazie's was a rather risqué pink leotard while the other wore a red surcoat with tails and black pants. Both were posed back to back tipping a plumed hat to the camera.

"She's... smiling?"

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"Ah, Zazie-san please take a seat. You're a little late, but that's okay." Shizuna noted, motioning to the chair. Zazie slipped into the seat and placed her hands in her lap "So, I trust things went well with Negi-sensei this morning?" The tan girl gave a small nod in response. Shizuna carefully eyed the girl's posture and gestures. They all told her that the girl was a little tense. "No problems?" she pushed carefully. Her trained eyes caught a subtle frown and tilt downward.

Zazie looked fully into the guidance counselor's gaze, casting a look of uncertainty.

Shizuna contemplated what it could be and began to press further. "You're not used to someone being in your space?" Zazie gave a slight nod but she could see that it wasn't the heart of the matter. She settled for the issue she had singled out first. "Well, it's only natural, I suppose. You've had your own room all though elementary school as well. But I think having someone to interact with you will help. Negi is a nice boy so you have nothing to worry about," she said with a small smile.

Zazie's face developed a puzzled frown but the girl nodded along anyway.

That piqued Shizuna's curiosity. It wasn't the first time her guesses had been wrong, but she had a good feel for the girl. Whatever was bothering her was something new entirely.

"Shizuna-sensei?" The performer held her counselor's eyes, a wave of confusion passing over the girl's unearthly red.

"Yes, Zazie?"

"...How..." She looked like she was turning the words over in her head, trying to find the right way to phrase it. "How can Sensei smile... and look so sad?" Zazie's soft question hung heavily in the air leaving Shizuna caught off guard unsure how to reply.

Shizuna collected herself and gained a thoughtful look trying to find the best way to answer the inquiry. For someone with as little emotional experience as Zazie, it was not just a question of concern, but one of logic. To someone with only base level understanding, Negi's emotions were too complex to define. "Most likely, I would say that Negi trying not to worry you. He tends to try and remain positive about things. But it seems that he got in some kind of fight with Asuna-san. He likely feels bad about it still. It's only been two days since it happened, after all. It's not uncommon for these things to take time to calm down," the guidance counselor explained carefully.

Zazie tilted her head eyes turned upward in a thoughtful manner. "So... It's Asuna Kagurazaka's fault?" she asked calmly.

"The answer isn't wouldn't be that simple, I'd figure." Looking at the girl's curious gaze, Shizuna decided to clarify. "Few conflicts are ever that straightforward. I don't know what happened exactly, so I couldn't say."

Shizuna received a confused frown.

"Zazie, people's emotions and how they deal with them are unique from person to person. What makes one person happy could make another sad and Negi is trying to work through his emotions without making you worry." She chuckled a little. "Though, it seems he was unsuccessful in that regard."

The girl's eyes veered off to the side so not to make direct contact, somewhat embarrassed. That elicited a smile from Shizuna.

"If you really want to find out, you'll have to speak with either your sensei or Asuna-san," she suggested, still smiling.

Zazie responded with the hint of a frown. It was hard to say what she was unsatisfied with, Shizuna's answer or the concept of starting up a dialogue with someone whom she was unused to speaking.

"Well, we'll set that aside for now." Shizuna coolly changed the subject to keep things moving. Zazie was being particularly talkative, so the best thing would be to take advantage of it. "How has practice been? I heard there's supposed to be a performance coming up in a couple of months?" she asked. She was rewarded with the ghost of a smile on the girl's face.

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Despite the good weather, Asuna didn't feel like going much of anywhere. After finishing her paper routes, she had returned to her bed and laid there. She stared at the ceiling with a book unopened at her side. The room had been quieter than usual, after a short screaming match the day before she'd kicked the boy wizard from the room and immediately called up the office. She hadn't seen him since... at least not in person. The bags under her eyes attested to how well she'd slept and even now sleeping seemed a far off memory.

The door clicked open and Konoka came in with a bag of groceries. Asuna didn't move but that didn't mean Konoka couldn't see her. "You're STILL up there? It's already afternoon. You could have at least 'sulked' outside and got some fresh air."

"There's no class, I don't have to get out if I don't want to." Asuna replied curtly. After a moment, she added, "I am not sulking." Her voice was adamant but did little to sway her friend. Konoka crouched by the small fridge putting away her purchases. Seeing the untouched contents, she frowned and looked back up to the top bunk.

"You didn't eat?"

"Not hungry," came the bland reply. Konoka crossed her arms and gave a rare frown.

"Asuna get down here and eat something, don't make me come up there." It was an idle threat considering who was giving it but nonetheless the red head poked her head out over the edge, hair undone and disheveled.

"Fine..." She sat up and steadied herself against the wall. The lack of sleep and food left her a little dizzy. Regaining her equilibrium, she slowly made her way down the ladder. She was still dressed in the t-shirt she'd worn for her paper route but had never bothered to shift to pajama bottoms. She took a seat at the table not caring about her bare legs and pantied bottom. _Not like HE'S here after all..._ she noted with annoyance, though it wasn't clear to who it was directed. Asuna propped her head on her arm and watched Konoka put on an apron to prepare a late lunch.

Without turning from her task, Konoka addressed her roommate once more. "You know, if I'd known you would have been so uncomfortable having him around, I would have refused grandfather."

Asuna narrowed her eyes. She could see the real purpose of that comment."That brat was a little perv and this change will be for the best. He shouldn't be staying here in the first place."

"Says the girl who is sulking."

"I am NOT sulking!"

Konoka turned with her small frown back in place looking down to her seated friend."If not, then you're just blowing this out of proportion and are too stubborn to change your mind. You didn't go this far before, what could have happened that was so bad?!" she snapped out. "I didn't want Negi-kun to leave," she added in a softer tone. Asuna had her face tilted downward.

"He... he just went too far okay?" she replied softly. Konoka gave her a perplexed frown before turning back to the stove. The room fell into silence. Asuna lightly touched her lips. "Too far..." Her voice had no heat behind it as her mind drifted back.

_"I love you... Sensei." I said in a practiced shy tone. He had agreed to help. He stood with slightly flushed cheeks. I projected the image of Takahata-sensei's handsome and mature face over his youthful features. "I've loved you for a long time... is that troublesome for you?" My voice is earnest, but seeing him stutter and swallow, the picture in my mind is broken. Hmph, some help he is... _

"No, ah, um..." He can't even reply properly! Well, at the very least I could tease the brat. I turn and clutch my hands over my heart.

"I guess it could never work between someone like you and me." I take in a sharp breath, if only to hold in the laughter. A strong hand on my shoulder caught me off guard.

"No , don't!" He's much stronger then he looks. He tugs to turn me around and we end up eye to eye once more, nearly having tumbled. I'll admit he has nice eyes... full of determination and confusion. I can't help but wonder why Takahata-sensei would never look at me like that. His eyes could never be so wide and innocent. I grasp his face lightly, feeling all his muscles tense. This would be the grand finale before I rub it in the kids face... at least it cheered me up.

"Close your eyes." I say in a low soft voice, he slowly complies waiting for the kiss that will never come. Cute, but still a brat. The situation changed in an instant. Whether it was my foot on his, or his on mine, I'm not sure, but the next thing I know is that I'm falling. My body's fall is broken by his small frame... and my lips were broken by his own... I... I'm really not sure what happened but my first kiss... it wasn't unpleasant. It might have been nice if I had meant to do it but we were both two shocked to move.

There was the flash of a camera and my heart shattered. My first kiss gone and now there's a picture of me lying across a ten-year-old brat making out. I didn't stop the tears when they came, I couldn't even see the faces or hear the voices of who saw me. I just ran... 

Asuna's world blurred back into focus looking to the fingers that had rested on her lips a moment before. "Things had gone too far..." she amended softly closing the fingers in a ball and putting it against her chest.

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The sun had dipped over the horizon by the time Takahata had dropped Negi back off at the dorms. The boy gave a small yawn as he climbed the stairs. It was nice that the faculty had taken well to him, even though he was still on temporary status. But they tended to forget his age and the festivities after the meeting had run a bit longer then the child was prepared to handle. He managed to keep his tiredness to a few yawns as he trekked up to the second floor and headed down the hall. He paused at a door with a hand on the knob. He colored when he looked up to see that it was Asuna and Konoka's room. He reluctantly let go and went back down the hall and around the corner. This time at the proper door he tried the knob and the door swung open.

Even in his tired state, he started in the doorway at the sight of his roommate. Zazie was standing on her hands, stretching one leg out parallel to the floor. The other leg was held straight up, a ball balanced on the end of it. She blinked, staring right back at him. The ball fell from its perch and bounced on the floor before rolling to a stop in front of Negi.

"Um... evening?" Negi managed to say after a moment. He picked up the ball and closed the door. Zazie bent herself forward until her feet lightly touched the ground before pulling her upper body standing upright like nothing had happened. "I hope I wasn't interrupting," he said holding out the ball.

She plucked it from his hands and gave a small shake of her head. She looking over to the clock and back to the boy whose tired mind took a moment to process the gesture.

"Oh, right. All the teachers went out after the meeting and invited me a along. Sorry, I'm late," he apologized with a small bow.

She watched him curiously before waving her hand dismissively. It wasn't that big a deal. She went to pull the ball in its proper place. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him move to cover a small yawn. He blushed at being noticed. The acrobat motioned to her bed.

"No, no. I couldn't. That's your bed. I'll do fine with a futon," he insisted with a small smile.

An invisible frown creased her features as she shook her head.

"You don't have one? Oh, well. I guess you don't have company over that often huh?" He immediately covered his mouth when she tilted her head to the side. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he started.

Zazie eyed his reaction curiously but she waved off his apology.

"My sleeping bag will be fine for now. I'll pick up a futon later," he offered going over to his part of the closet.

Zazie took a seat on her bed. She watched Negi crouch down and unhook his sleeping bag from the top of his pack. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the boy. His eyes were drooping and his movements were sluggish. Even with a sleeping bag, lying on the floor all night would undoubtedly be quite uncomfortable. Her eyes widened slightly before she patted the bed next to her. "Share?" She blinked owlishly when he suddenly stiffened and his face burned a deep red.

"N-No, Rainyday-san. I'll be okay," he said with a slight shake in his voice. He unfurled his sleeping bag with more focus than necessary. Taking a breath, he braved another look at the girl.

Negi was sure that he saw a puzzled frown adorning her face this time.

"Really," he asserted. "I just need a spare pillow. If you have one," he added, hoping to pacify that look. Sweat rolled down the back of his head at the fact that her expression didn't change.

After a long moment, she turned and took one of her pillows and tossed it to him.

"Thank you, Rainyday-san." He gave a small bow of his head. "I need to get some sleep for class tomorrow, I hope it won't bother you." He moved back to the closet for his night clothes.

She shook her head and looked to the clock. It was getting late...

Negi, using the bare closet as an impromptu changing room, donned his night clothes and took to his rest. "Goodnight," he said with a small yawn before snuggling into his sleeping bag.

Zazie watched his small form settle into a comfortable position and his breathing slow. Why choose to sleep on the floor, when the bed was so much more comfortable? With a slight shake of her head she slipped to her feet and silently walked across the room. The overhead light clicked off. The dim moonlight shining through the window cast shadows through the single. Her soundless glide kept the boy teacher fast asleep as she moved back to her bed, unaffected by the sudden darkness. The only sound in the room was shifting of fabric. Blowing out a soft breath, she slipped into her bed.

Light breathing. It was a sound she wasn't used to hearing. Even though her eyes stared out into the night sky, it was the boy that held her mind. "Why?" she whispered, unsure exactly what she was questioning. Negi was a mystery to her. He wore his emotions clear as day at all times. He spoke respectfully and not once had he sent more than a small questioning glance at her actions. Zazie may not be much of a talker but she was a good listener, she could hear what some girls said when she would practice in class... Juggling helped pass the time, it's not like they didn't have their own qu-

A rustle of cloth caught her ears. Negi was getting up, probably for the bathroom. Though the steps were coming closer not further away. Zazie rolled over to see the young boy at her bedside. She blinked. Uncertainty sunk in as he crawled up and into her bed. Zazie gave a small smile. Now, she wouldn't have to worry about him being sore. She repositioned herself to make sure he had plenty of room but he followed. The feeling of his arms winding around her caused confusion to be replaced by a rare panic. Her body became stiff in his embrace. His breath lightly washed over her chest as he rested his head against her. Her eyes were wide and her heart was beating wildly. What was he doing? Why was he touching her?

"S-sensei?" she called out in an alarmed whisper. She tried to summon more of a voice but she could barely bring herself to move. Then she felt it... In the shadows, a large white mask faded into existence. It had black empty eyes and a permanently etched smile. The solid mass of shadow slinked over to her bedside, eying the boy latched against her.

"..." It was eager and hungry, which, though not unusual, disturbed the young girl for some reason. She tentatively put one of her arms around the boy and her red eyes glowed in the darkness of the room.

"No."

"..." The mask somehow sighed and faded away to whence it came. The acrobat's eyes faded back to the normal spectrum and she let out a small sigh of her own. That could have gone worse. She looked to the reddish brown mop of hair pressed against her, unsure what to do about this situation. Negi had a pretty good hold on her. She couldn't see how to get free without waking him. She opened her mouth to say something. The words died on her lips as Negi murmured in his sleep, hugging her just a little tighter.

"Onee-chan..."

Zazie looked at the boy. Slowly, a light red tinge spread across her cheeks. The boy's face was calm and peaceful, a world away from his ill-hidden frown. Her stomach twittered oddly. She felt warm, but not uncomfortably so. What was this feeling?

The anxiety flowed from her body and she closed her eyes. The boy's gentle breathing brought the picture of his peaceful face to her mind. The young, yet mature, boy snuggled against her. As sleep began to take her over, a final thought passed through her mind.

How could she experience it again?

_to be continued_

AN – I really do love Zazie, she has so much potential so this story is a showing of how Zazie could fit in right at the beginning and switch things up. Asuna will still have a major part but this story is predominantly Zazie and Negi learning about each other. Also expect a couple of characters normally in the background getting more screen time later. A Big thanks to Ikari666 for betaing and Windfalcon for helping me work out the plot. You both rock.


	2. Chapter 2

It's Always the Quiet Ones

by Ryoga's best friend

Comments  
Anime-Freak317 - I have worked out my own development for Zazie's powers and lineage based on the few abilities shown in offical splash images and the manga itself. I will state now she is magically aware.

Random - Akira is unlikely on my list her BUT fear not I have been developing a story based on the swimmer (though it's a work in progress... I have trouble righting her because she so normal). Hm, that is an interesting prospect for akira though. I will take it into consideration.

Everyone else - Thank you to all the reviewers for there positive support of my work and Zazie-chan. Glad I am not the only Zazie fan out there. I'd also like to thank my idea man WindFalcon (also the creator of the Ringmaster Prosopeio) as well as Ikari666 for doing a smash job in editing this work. Everyone enjoy the show!

Chapter 2

Warmth. That was the first thing Negi noticed when he returned to consciousness. The blanket pulled up nearly over his head made it a struggle for his brain to being running on all cylinders. The comfortable bed shifted, his warmth switching positions. He held tightly to the feeling so not to let it stray too far away. He probably had plenty of time before cl-

_A bed..._ His mind finally processed the information. Hadn't he gone to sleep on the floor? He swallowed as more awareness bled in. In his arms, he could feel the soft rise and fall of someone breathing. He'd done it again. _I must have crawled in while I was a sleep! O-okay, she seems to be asleep. I'll just slip out carefully,_ he thought. He took a breath to calm himself before slowly trying to back out. His progress was stopped when he found one of his arms pinned. With a nervous whimper, he tried to shimmy his trapped arm free, slip it out from his roommate's smooth skin... Skin? His vision took that moment to give him a nice view of Zazie's bare chest.

_She's naked?!_ He froze and immediately shut his eyes, trying his best to banish the images from his mind. _What do I do? What do I do? What if someone sees? I can't get fired now I- I-_ His nose twitched before he could stop himself.

Negi's sneeze filled the room with a rush of wind. He tumbled out of the bed to the floor. The blankets shot upward to the ceiling. The shelves shook from the force. The birds squawked loudly, flapping about in a big panic. He got one good look at a wide-eyed Zazie sitting upright before he closed his eyes. The blanket fell down on top of her.

Zazie awoke to total chaos. She tried to calm her breathing and pulled the quilt from over her head. Her birds were twittering around their cage. A few of her miniatures had toppled from their shelves. She turned to the window, double-checking the lock. It was closed. Where had that wind come from? Her puzzled gaze fell upon the child teacher, sitting on the floor hands over his eyes. She shifted to kneeling at the edge of the bed, noticing the slight shake in his shoulders and blazing red of his face.

"...Good Morning..." she greeted calmly. She slid to her feet and glided over to the bird cage. "Shhh..." Her hands settled against the cage. Looked over the birds, she begin to hum a soft melodic tune. Their panic slowly subsided and they settled on perches closer to their owner.

Negi found that his own beating heart lowered back to a more manageable level. He moved his hands only to see that Zazie was still undressed. With a squeak, he covered his eyes again. He didn't hear her moving. "R-Rainyday-san?"

"...Yes?" Her voice sound much closer. He swallowed, not daring to look.

"C-Could you please get dressed?" he asked shakily. It was silent for a long moment before Zazie spoke once more. Negi found it eerie how she could move with barely a sound.

"Early."

"N-not that. J-just an English gentleman shouldn't be looking at naked g-girls." He tried hard to use his most authoritative voice but it was ruined by his stammer.

Zazie crossed back and sat lightly on her bed puzzling the boy's odd request, getting dressed so soon after waking, before even a morning soak. She tilted her head as she looked to the clearly embarrassed boy. She looked down to herself with a small frown before she slid up to her feet and padded softly over to her closet. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her slim frame. It was a good time as any to prepare for her bath. Tucking the top securely, she turned on the balls of her feet and crouched smoothly to eye level with the boy. She watched silently as he squirmed with his hands over his eyes, bright cherry cheeks. This also was a more comforting expression then the solemn one last night. He had so many expressions.

"Rainyday-san?" he ventured but she remained silent, creeping closer. He peeked through his fingers. Seeing another eye, he let out an eep and fell backwards. Zazie crouched over him with her usual unaffected look. His cheeks were still a bit pink. "Well, that's a little better," he commented. He did his best not to let his eyes wander where the towel fell a little short. "I'm so sorry about climbing into your bed, I-I can't help it sometimes," he admitted, eyes turned to the floor. "I'll try not to do it again. I'll pick up a futon after class today." He could feel the girl's eyes on him but she remained silent. The rustle of cloth brought his eyes back up. She paused at the door.

"Bath."

"O-okay." She held his gaze for a moment, pointing to him. "No, I'm okay," he said quickly. She gave a slow nod before slipping out into the hall leaving Negi to collapse back with a sigh. "I'm already tired again..." He allowed himself a childish whine.

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Before, class 2-A was set abuzz by the latest news. Asuna seemed to finally have had enough of their young teacher and had kicked him out. No one seemed to know the exact details of what happened to either party, but it was the most exciting news of the semester.

"So, Iincho, did you manage to get custody of Negi-sensei?" Makie asked with a little bit of trepidation. Her own offer had been turned down. Ayaka sighed.

"Unfortunately, no, it was a great injustice to leave the boy on his own like that." the blond sighed.

"Yes, Shizuna-sensei said our room was already too crowded," Chizuru clarified with a smile though it was a little dim. "Have you heard any word?"

"No. You don't think he was given his own room do you?" Akira asked with a note of concern. He was so young after all; if Asuna's word was anything to go by, he wasn't very good of taking care of himself. A few eyes turned to the table in question, Asuna steadfastly ignoring all attention.

"Leave her be," Ayaka commanded coolly. "I'm sure she had her reason."

"Iincho..." It was a wonder that the blond had yet to tear into her rival. It was a curiosity.

"But who could he be staying with? It would still be one of us right?" Haruna scanned the faces in the room, hoping to spot some sort of tell. She couldn't stand being outside of the loop. The door opening caught all the girls' attention.

Zazie paused, giving her classmates an unblinking stare. They all turned away, seemingly disappointed. The acrobat moved, puzzled at the commotion. These Japanese girls were very excitable types, she thought. Her eyes roved the room.

As always, her first look fell to the window, at the white-haired girl floating despondently over her seat at the desk. Zazie constantly wondered why she kept coming to class if it only made her sad. She considered asking, though. She never considered it her place to question the motives and actions of others just as no one ever questioned her.

Next, she looked to the middle row two seats. She usually glossed over them, but today held more importance. To the left was Konoka Konoe, she seemed to be in a rare despondent mood this day. She was hiding it behind a small smile while she chatted with the petite librarian, Yue Ayase. Zazie gave the slightest frown. _Why? Why do they smile?_

The second to catch her attention was even less clear: Asuna Kagurazaka. She looked focused on a textbook but, well... even Zazie's trained eyes couldn't pierce the wall of jumbled emotions. The girl looked up and noticed her staring though Zazie remained unconcerned.

"Yes?" she asked, confused and frustrated. The acrobat merely shook her head and continued walking. Her classmate blinked, perplexed. "What was that about?"

"Zazie?" Konoka queried looking to the girl's retreating back. "No one really knows what she's about, could be any number of things." The door opened once more and this time it was the real deal. The uproar was about to start when the bell rang, he must have timed his entrance.

"All rise... Bow." Nodoka spoke, her classmates following. Negi offered a simple smile.

"Okay, everyone please turn to page 35 and we'll start there," he said, only slightly outside his normal enthusiasm. Seated amidst the middle of the class, Zazie propped her head up on her hand analyzing the boy once more. It wasn't gone, only buried. That boy was a mystery...

Peace and class 2-A went together like oil and water, especially when there was a topic of interest. Though, Negi had to admit, the girls had been gracious enough to allow 6 minutes of class before derailing the lesson completely.

"Sensei."

"Yes, Makie-san?"

"Are you still looking for a place to stay?" The gymnast tried to ignore the burning glare sent from Ayaka.

"Yeah, we heard that you don't have a place to stay." Her roommate Ako chimed in. The floodgates had opened with that and most of the girls spoke up out of either concern or offers of a place to stay. The child teacher chuckled, gaining a slight flush from the rise of support.

"Thank you, really, but a new place has already been arranged." He took a subtle glance to the silent acrobat, whose expression as placid as ever.

"Really? Where are you staying?" Haruna, ever the gossip hound, could not be left in the dark.

"Is it with Takahata-sensei?" Konoka ventured, if only to spur her roommate's interest.

"Ooh, or Shizuna-sensei?" Misa brought out, her fellow cheerleader groaning.

"Oh, there's no way we could compete with her, she's even got Chizuru beat." Sakurako morosely looked to her chest along with several of the other girls, hands cupping out in front as if to compare the missing cup sizes separating them.

"It's not all about breasts," Ayaka insisted.

Zazie was used to these things at this point. It was rare they could make it through a lesson without going off on tangents. They all seemed so fired up about Sensei's well being. How come none of them were chosen over her? Her gaze turned distant as she mulled it over. Did Shizuna-sensei really believe she could do as good a job as the others?

"Well, Sensei?"

The acrobat could feel the tension in the room go up. Even Asuna, who was doing her best to hide it, was full of anticipation. She looked to her sensei only to find his eyes were on her, her stomach twittered oddly. His gaze was intense but the message wasn't clear. She tilted her head puzzling over the look. Did he want something? He broke eye contact and gave a small sigh before smiling.

"Well, Rainyday-san offered to take me in since she had space." For the first time in months, the room was silent. All eyes turned her way. The emotions were overwhelming, varying from shock to sorrow, even a little jealousy. She met a few of the more heated gazes with an unconcerned neutral face. It seemed that this arrangement had labeled her a threat to some of the more vocal Negi fans.

"I-Is that true?" Her desk mate Haruna, normally unfazed, could hardly believe it.

Zazie calmly nodded.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier when we were asking around?!"

The acrobat held the frustrated girl's gaze unflinchingly and gave a small shrug. Haruna blinked and then chuckled, patting Zazie on the shoulder, who tensed somewhat from the contact.

"You're a sly one. I never would have seen that coming."

"Indeed." Ayaka had risen and walked over to her desk. "I had never considered you interested. You chose a perfect time to make your move. I'm impressed, but don't think this is the end of it."

Zazie blinked. She leveled an odd look on the girl, unclear at exactly what was going on. Yuna leered, leaning on the desk. The twins peeked over in front of her. Her neutral face began to bleed in a little nervousness as more and more girls came over.

"Lucky girl, I bet you had a lot of fun with sensei."

"Ooh, you'll have to tell us about it at the baths."

"You think we could come by? I've never seen your room."

"We could make it a party!"

"That sounds like a great idea!"

"Now, now, that's enough." Negi's voice pierced the buzz. "Don't planning things without her consent. You'll be free to talk when class is over. I'd like to get through the next activity before we go." His voice was hopeful and karma seemed to be giving him good fortune. The girls dispersed back to whence they came. Zazie relaxed a little, getting back her personal space. That was not what she had been expecting. Even with class back in relative order, much attention was still on her.

The acrobat was used to eyes on her, accustomed to smiles and cheers. But she wasn't performing; she wasn't bringing the smiles and chatter from her actions. The girls were coming to her by their own doing. Just being in Negi's presence had vaulted her from anonymity; the lights were on her and she had no idea what to do.

Her eyes turned to the catalyst, her sensei, standing at his podium. His face animated as he worked through the next lesson. His gaze found hers and he passed her a smile. Her stomach fluttered once more.

"Rainyday-san, could you read this next passage?"

The lights shown brighter, it was her turn to perform.

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The remainder of class sped by at record speed. Well, saying that 2-A had been paying full attention would be giving them far too much credit, but they at least made it seem like they did. At the ring of the bell the girls gathered their things. Zazie tensed, expecting to be rushed a second time but instead she received a few smiles and winks. There was a general consensus that Zazie was to come to the baths tonight and give 'details'... Exactly what details they were expecting was not clear.

"Zazie." The acrobat looked up from her bag to see Konoka passing her one of those 'not quite smiles' she and Negi were so fond of. She held the girls gaze until she continued. "I just wanted to thank you for taking Negi-kun in. Things got a little rough. I'm trying to smooth things out between them, but it might take a little time."

"Asuna Kagurazaka..." Zazie's eyes turned to the girl in question, who was currently exchanging hushed words with their sensei. "Why is she upset?"

"I really don't know... she hasn't been very forth coming with things." Konoka shook her head. "Asuna is a complicated girl. It could be anything. So, like I said, it may take some time, just a week or so most likely then we can take him off your hands again."

The acrobat couldn't help but feel a little uneasy as she gave a slow nod.

"Until then, here are a few things you might need to know: He enjoys western style breakfasts, but he's not pushy about it. He has a habit of avoiding baths; you may have to make sure he cleans himself properly. As mature as he seems he is still a young boy. Oh... and, well..." The girl blushed with small giggle continuing with a low whisper. "Sometimes, at night, he sleepwalks and may end up crawling into your bed. Try not to be too upset, he really can't help it." She gave a small bow.

"Happened."

"...Oh." Konoka sweatdropped at the casual admission. "I hope it wasn't too much of a bother."

A small shake of the head, and a well hidden blush unseen by the eyes of the headmaster's granddaughter, was Zazie's response. She was tempted to ask a few questions of her own, she couldn't seem to vocalize them.

"Asuna-san." The pair looked up to see Asuna walking away from Negi. He stood with a hand raised to her departure. She calmly left the room without acknowledging him. Negi sighed. So lost in his own mind he didn't notice Konoka and Zazie's approach until they were already by his side. He offered them a pained smile.

"Hello, girls."

"Sensei."

"Cheer up, Negi-kun. I'm working on it. Things between you two will be back to normal before you know it. I promise." Konoka patted the boy's head getting a more genuine smile in return. "But it would help if I knew what happened, Asuna's being tight lipped about it."

"Um, well... It's complicated." Negi flushed a slightly. "I can't really talk about it here... if we could meet somewhere less crowded?" he suggested.

"Sure, I'm free for a little bit. We can meet up at the café."

"Sounds good," answered their teacher. A note of relief could be heard in his voice.

"Sensei..."

"Yes, Rainyday-san?"

"Afterwards... There is something I'd like to show you." Both Negi and Konoka looked to the acrobat with a small amount of surprise. Where had this come from?

"Okay, I'm always glad to make time for my students." He gave a truer smile to his roommate. "Where do you want to meet?"

"World Tree Plaza... Dress comfortable." With that, Zazie headed toward the exit. She left a puzzled Negi and a slightly blushing Konoka in her wake.

_Did she... Did she just ask Sensei out?!_

Just outside the door, Asuna gave a pained expression. Her chest tight and stomach filled with uneasiness. "Why? Why does he have to tell her?" She muttered to herself, hugging her bag tightly. She started walking down the hall. "I can't let anyone know… it's bad enough that it happened at all." she groaned and lowered her head. "Why won't this just go away?"

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Despite her reservations, Asuna found herself crawling through the underbrush. She pushed some of the more leafy plants for a better view. Konoka sat waiting with a pensive expression, eyes searching the crowd. _I can't let her find out... but, if I interrupt now she'll only get more suspicious._ She bit her lip, battling her indecision, trying to find something she could do. Unfortunately, Konoka stood up before Asuna could think up a remotely good plan.

"Negi-kun, over here." The headmaster's granddaughter waved the boy over. From her hidden position, Asuna frowned ever so slightly.

_He's in casual clothes so soon after class?_ The girl mulled over what that could entail. He was a brat but he tried to carry a professional air about him. He approached in a long sleeves shirt and a worn pair of pants, only the staff was part of his usual attire. _Maybe... Maybe he'll memory wipe her!_ The thought was hopeful to the length of ridiculous... especially considering all he managed to erase in the past was her underwear. Scarlet danced across her features. "Pervert," her words held little heat to them.

"I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"No, not at all, it's a nice enough day." The pair took a seat and started to relax somewhat. Konoka tried to break the ice with some casual conversation. "So... I hope your time away is going alright."

"It's been well enough. Takamichi took me in for the first night and Rainyday-san has been very hospitable." He tried his best to be tactful, keeping his mind off this morning's 'incident'. Konoka giggled a little.

"So I heard. Sneaky, sensei... moving in on the first night."

"I-it's wasn't intentional." Negi's face bloomed to a light red. "Rainyday-san didn't have an extra futon and I guess I couldn't get comfortable." He trailed off looking to the table as the girl giggled. A sharp snap caught both of their attentions, looking around brought no source though.

Hidden away, Asuna held two ends of a bush branch broken in half. _He couldn't have. The little brat._

"Hee hee, sorry, sensei. I couldn't help it," Konoka smiled. "Rainyday-san seems like a nice person though."

"Yes, she is. She doesn't talk much but if you watch her carefully you can kind of pick up what she wants to say."

"Really? Hm, well I'll admit I've never talked to her before today. She's kind of intimidating." Konoka allowed herself a nervous chuckle that Negi joined in on. As it died away, the girl gained a somewhat more serious look about her, something that didn't go unnoticed by either her companion or their observer. "Negi... about that Friday..."

_No._

"What happened?"

"Well, I guess if it will help..." Negi stalled slightly, gathering himself. "Well, it was after the party the girls threw. I was trying to help Asuna-san out with Takamichi." He looked down at the table. "I wasn't doing a very good job. I'd had caused a lot of problems and I really wanted to make things up, so she thought it might be good if I helped her practice..."

_No... Please, Negi, just stop..._

"Practice confessing," he managed to say with a slight flush.

"Really? Wow. She must really be getting serious. Takahata-sensei usually turns her to goo." Konoka chuckled lightly.

"Well, yeah, so I agreed. Right there on the stairs, she set me at a proper height and she undid her hair." Konoka blinked, it was a rare event she took out her hair ornaments. After all, they were personal presents from Takahata-sensei himself. "She, she started to confess and I froze up. I. I know she wasn't confessing to me, but she was looking so earnest, so determined that I wasn't sure what to think." He squirmed a little. "She... she looked very pretty."

_Eh?_ A deep red hue bled into Asuna's face.

"She looked a lot like my big sister," he admitted shortly after, face flushed. "Well, she kept going but it looked like I had messed up again. She was going to leave. I panicked and grabbed her shoulder, we both nearly toppled over. She... She was right in front of me." He and Asuna both swallowed a little as the memory replayed. Konoka was at the edge of her seat. "Asuna-san told me to close my eyes. I-I did. I could feel her hands on my face and then..." he trailed off. Konoka was hanging in the silence that followed, Asuna gripped the bush tightly eyes closed she'd seen this scene enough in her head.

_Stop._

"And?" Konoka pushed.

"I'm not sure. One of us tripped and I felt myself falling backwards. Asuna fell on top of me and she... she kissed me." His face was practically glowing. Asuna allowed herself a silent whimper as she looked to the ground. Konoka was clearly surprised.

"Seriously?"

Taking a page from his roommate, the boy only nodded.

"Wow. Even if it was only accidental, that's pretty surprising. Heh, I thought setups like that only happened in anime." Konoka leaned forward on the table. "Come on, cheer up. It's not that bad. I thought things were much worse by the way you two were acting."

"Well... we were spotted."

"Eh?"

"Yeah... Iincho-san and a few other girls... I think one of them took a picture of us. I'm not too sure but I know that Asuna was crying before she ran away," Negi mumbled.

"Ah, that does complicate things a bit... I'm surprised no one had heard about it then, especially if it sounds like Paparazzi is involved."

"Paparazzi?"

"Kazumi Asakura, she sits up to the front of the class. She's with the reporting club."

"Reporting... Like in newspaper?!"

"Yes, but if nothing has come out yet, she likely has a reason not to send it out. Look, I'll handle everything, okay? You just let things calm down a bit and stay with Zazie. I'm sure Asuna's not really mad at you, it sounds like one big misunderstanding."

"Really? Thank you Konoka-san."

"I'm glad to help. I want you to come back, too. If I had known you were into the 'big sister' thing I would have volunteered to wash your hair instead," she said with a wink.

"K-K-Konoka-san!" he sputtered as the girl giggled and stood up.

_You little..._

"I'll see you in class tomorrow Negi-kun." she waved cheerfully, not commenting on whether she had been joking or not. "Have fun on your date with Zazie!" she called out.

"It's not a date!"

_D-date?_

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Asuna frowned as she shadowed a rather distracted Negi back through the academy grounds. "I can't believe that little jerk. Two days away and he's already started weaseling in on Zazie... Hmph. Iincho or Makie, I could give him the benefit of the doubt but Zazie, I... Well..." The words failed to come to her. She didn't know much of anything about Zazie. She was kind of weird, never cracking an expression no matter what happened. It was unnerving. A more thoughtful expression came into place as another theory came into play. Was Zazie in fact the predator in this equation? Negi was just a brat after all; mage or not he was always so clueless. Maybe that quiet girl image was just a facade! "I-it's not like I care of anything... Nope, not at all," she muttered as she slipped into an alleyway peeking out ever so slightly as Negi climbed the stairs of world tree plaza.

Negi swallowed the unfamiliar nervousness that was bubbling up. Konoka's teasing had sunk in and he just couldn't dislodge the possibility. What if this was a date? What was he supposed to do? Zazie was his student, and dating a student, even if she was the older of the two, was just wrong. But... as an English gentleman, he couldn't simply dismiss her, especially after he agreed to come. That would be rude. There was just no right answer, he couldn't help but feel like all eyes were on him boring into his back waiting to see what he would do.

At the top of the stairs, he breathed deeply in an attempt to calm his nerves. His eyes swept over the plaza, spotting his student. Zazie was out of uniform. She wore a pair of purple drawstring pants and a rather bland white t-shirt, a duffle bag resting at her feet. She had her eyes turned upwards gazing to the clouds with her usual blank expression. _Well, she did say casual_, he thought but felt a small bit of disappointment in his relief. He smiled and waved as he continued forward.

"Good afternoon."

Her gaze smoothly shifted down to his own, replying with a steady nod.

"I hope you weren't waiting here too long."

She returned with a small shake of the head. He could feel her gaze looking him up and down. He did his best to repress a small flush at the scrutiny. She nodded and gave a thumbs up.

"Um, thank you." A twitter of nervous laughter rose up from the boy. "I really don't have much in the way of casual clothes."

"I see." She considered him for a moment before she picked up her bag.

"So, where is it we are going?" His eyes followed her hand as the quiet girl pointed out across the campus.

"High school Athletics Plaza."

"Eh? That's on the other side of the campus. Why did you make the meeting place over here?" he followed her gaze back to the monolithic tree, silence stretching for a few moments.

"Because... it's nice," she said carefully. Negi looked over to her face. There was something in her eyes that he just couldn't place as she looked to the tree. He smiled.

"Mm, it really is. To be honest, sometimes I want to see the view from up there. I imagine it would be quite a sight," he said with wistful tone. It was an easy enough thing to do but with the constant witnesses and his own busy schedule finding the time to get up there even by flight had just not been open to him. This time he felt her own eyes on him though the gaze didn't last too long before he caught a small nod on her part.

"Ready?" He turned to meet her eyes, enigmatic as usual waiting for his okay. He passed her a smile and nodded.

"Sure." He fell into step at her side already starting down that stairs when he realized something. "Um, Rainyday-san?"

"Yes?"

"Why are we going to the High school athletic center?"

"Practice."

"Huh?" Unfortunately, the acrobat seemed content with her answer and did not elaborate. Unsure, he continued keeping up with the steady, silent steps of his companion.

Zazie had felt somewhat out of her element since the morning's English class. The girls of 2-A had begun striking up conversations with her throughout the day. She found herself often resorting to nods and shakes for responses. She was sure Shizuna-sensei would not be too happy about that, but she wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't like any of the girls, save a select few, were ever hostile or rude to her before. But, now... Well, they were bringing her in like she was an old friend and she couldn't help but feel awkward. Her face tilted downward slightly, fingering the shoulder strap of her duffel a little. Before, she didn't need to reply with any great care or detail and they seemed satisfied enough but that was no longer the case. They were really trying to engage and learn about her, which gave her an odd feeling she couldn't place... It was different than the one that sensei seemed to trigger but had some similar properties. Her hand clenched around the strap. It was all so strange.

"Rainyday-san?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied. She kept her gaze focused forward, allowing her body to relax. He must have noted some change in her posture. Her free hand rested lightly on her stomach. That peculiar feeling had returned. Just looking was enough now? Maybe she was coming down with something...

Further along back Asuna ghosted the pairs trail. She really couldn't care less about what they were doing, but that didn't stop her feet from continuing to press forward and her eyes to carefully note all the pair's interactions. It was a mostly quiet walk along, though considering who the girl was it was hardly a surprise.

"Well, well, isn't this interesting." A voice caused her to jump and squeak. A hand went over her mouth and she felt herself pulled behind a low wall.

"Did you hear something?"

"Mm..."

"Well, I guess this is a school campus, so it's not unexpected."

"Right... continue?"

"Okay."

The voices ended and the redhead gave the slightest sigh of relief into the muffling hand. She twisted away from her captor/savor. "Asakura?"

"At your service," she replied with a sly smile and a salute. "So, Asuna, is there a reason you're stalking Negi-sensei?" The girl in question colored at the query.

"I-I'm not stalking,"

"No, a stalker wouldn't be nearly as sloppy."

"Hey!"

"Now, now... If you want to keep an eye on you little beau, it's not my place to stop you." The reporter shrugged casually with a smirk as her companion heated up.

"It's not like that."

"With this, and that rather steamy kiss on the stairs, I'd have to say the evidence is rather stacked against you." Asuna lowered her head, fists clenched slightly, giving the reporter a brief worry that she may have pushed too many buttons. "Look, like I said, I'm not here to judge. I'm also admittedly curious at out mystery student taking in Negi-sensei How about I give you a few pointers in the art of 'reporting,' hmm?" she winked. Asuna's expression was unsure at first but then she allowed herself a little smile.

"Thanks..."

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Zazie and Negi, along with their stalkers, crossed out from the junior high part of the campus into the high school area. The uniforms were a little different and this part of the campus seemed at least partially co-ed. He was becoming much happier with his position in seeing the high schoolers tower over him. Every so often a few would pass their glances toward them, sometimes a smile, but for the most part they went about their business. For some reason, Zazie looked more comfortable out this way. Much of her tense posture had bled away.

"Ahead." She pointed to a rather large structure a little off to the right of the path. It definitely looked extensive, much larger than the girls' junior high building. He gave a small nod as they angled toward that building.

A little further back, it appeared as if two high school girls were following a small distance behind. But in fact, it was a clever ruse. Asuna had her hair pulled back in to a single braid down the length of her back, a padded bra, and a single contact to cover her distinctive heterochromia. To her side, Kazumi had a much more elaborate disguise. She wore a black wig with a side pony tailed style, green contacts, and subtle heeled shoes making her appear taller. Asuna didn't get a clear answer to exactly why the reporter has just an impressive collection of outfits and wigs other then it was for 'undercover journalism'... seemed more like spy work.

"Why did they come all the way out here? Does Zazie hang out with an older crowd?"

"Not sure myself, I have never really tried to study the girl at all. I know little things but she never seemed to be that interesting a find so I hadn't bothered. She's a sneaky one it seems."

Unbeknownst of their company, Zazie lead her teacher to the entrance opening the door casually and holding it open. With a curious nod, he took her lead and headed inside. The door closed behind them baring a sign.

**Clubs scheduled:**

**Kendo - Room B**

**Men's Track - General Fitness**

**Nightmare Circus - Gymnasium**

Negi kept pace with Zazie's soundless steps. Since she seemed to know the path well, he took the opportunity to look around the facility. There were all sorts of equipment, students in various sports garb moving about and chatting animatedly. It was quite interesting.

"Eh? If it isn't little Zazie!" a voice bellowed out making the girl stop and look about curiously. Negi was more surprised by the greeting itself. Someone seemed to be rather familiar with the girl. Though the source was found soon enough, a large student approached with a cheeky grin. His frame looked to be chiseled out of stone and her towered over both of them. "Twenty minutes before the official start as expected from our little star," he said good-naturedly. His eyes turned to the boy with a bit harder look hands going to his hips. "What do we have here?" Negi swallowed a little at the imposing boy's sudden glare.

"I-I just-"

"My sensei," Zazie spoke smoothly. "A visit."

"Oh? Our Zazie-chan is bringing a guest? The Boss'll be real happy!" The glare immediately faded back into a friendly smile. He grabbed the boy's hand and gave it a firm shake. His other hand gave the teacher enthusiastic pats on the shoulder. The strength of boy was clear as each thunderous pat shook the child teacher's body. "Pleasure t'meetcha! The name's Daichi, Strongman of the Nightmare Circus!"

"N-Negi Springfield," he managed to return with a smile. After all, an English gentleman had to make good impression. "It's nice to meet you Daichi-san." The strongman blinked and looked at Negi oddly before letting him go. Negi cradled his hand a little; he had little doubt in the boy's claim of position.

"Oh-ho! So THIS is the infamous Kid Teacher! I was wondering what you looked like! I imagined you to be a lot... shorter!" Laughing, the strongman gave Negi a firm slap on the back, nearly sending the boy stumbling forward.

"Infamous?" the boy parroted with a light sweatdrop.

"The Ringmaster is in?" Zazie shifted her grip on her bag.

"Is he in? 'Course he is! Boss never misses a practice, you know that! I think he's workin' with Ms. Diva on a new act." Daichi said with a cheerful exuberance.

_Diva?_

He motioned for the pair to follow heading to the doors of the gym and pushing them open. Several small groups of High schoolers were spread about the gymnasium, either chatting or doing some sort of stretches. Daichi cupped his hands alongside his mouth. "HEY! EVERYONE! ZAZIE-CHAN BROUGHT A GUEST!!!" His voice reverberated through the open space drawing much attention. Judging from the chatter and looks it seemed like this was quite a big deal.

"So loud..." Negi looked to his student from her rare casual comment. There was a slight shift in her expression, almost like a pout but muted.

"So your 'Boss' is here?"

"Yes. The Ringmaster."

"Ringmaster?" It was a curious title, more so to Negi who had never been to any circus... much less the 'Nightmare' variety. All of a sudden, a cloud of smoke billowed just in front of them, purple in color and, with the way the gym lights shine through it, full of something that made it sparkle.

"Indeed, young man," a mysterious voice said from within. "After all... What is a circus... without a Ringmaster to insure things run smoothly? Clowns would not be funny, stars would lack stage presence! And most of all..." The smoke cleared, revealing an androgynous person dressed in red, flamboyant clothes, the collar high to conceal the neck and long, black hair flowing down the back. Negi's eyes widened a little. It was the same person from the photo in Zazie's room. "The audience... would not know upon whom to cast their gazes. Like a conductor controls the tempo of their orchestra, so must I, Prosopeio, conduct both audience and performers to create a most wondrous show!" Spreading both arms out, the masked ringmaster waited a moment, before sweeping a bow towards Negi. "A pleasure to meet you." The flash and grandeur of the entrance gave Negi a small amount of pause before returning the gesture.

"Negi Springfield, Zazie's teacher. I just hope I'm not intruding Prosopeio-san." He raised his head and took in the image of the person before him. _This is the one who can make Zazie smile..._ Chuckling, Prosopeio stood up and looked Negi over, giving an approving nod.

"I have heard many good things about you, Negi-kun! As Ringmaster of the Nightmare Circus... allow me to personally welcome you to our practice sessions! Here, I hope you will grow to appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that go into each and every performance. After all... it is here that we refine ourselves to make Magic come alive."

"Thank you."

Prosopeio gave a nod of acknowledgement before turning to Zazie and walking over to place a familiar hand on her shoulder "My dear... "

"Good afternoon, Ringmaster." Zazie greeted formally with a small bow.

"I am happy that you have finally brought a guest... and a celebrity at that! After practice, we must catch up on the happenings of your life, hmm? Now, shall we get started on rehearsals?" Negi took a seat on the bleachers. They were mostly empty, save for the gym bags of the performers. It appeared that Zazie bore a momentary flush but it was gone as soon as it arrived, leaving doubt that it hadn't just been imagined. She nodded at the first question before her face tensed as if in focus.

"Yes, Ringmaster." Placing her bag aside she reached for the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up over her head, Negi scrambled to cover his eyes. Taking a momentary peek, he found himself a little surprised. The girl was dressed in a purple leotard.

"Under her clothes?" the child teacher noted curiously, looking over the girl's posture. She stood at attention waiting for Prosopeio to pass on instructions. There was no mistaking the focus in her normally impassive eyes. "Intense... she's really into this."

"Ready."

There was an impression that Prosopeio was smiling beneath the mask, entire stance showing off pride and joy. A small crowd had begun to gather around the two though. Turning towards the gathered crew, the ringmaster soon gave off a feeling of irritation. Crossing arms, the masked performer gave a shake of the head before stomping a foot.

"This is a practice session! I wish to see practicing done! Now go over your routines, or else all of you will be mucking the elephant stables!" This immediately sent the students rushing off, all with smiles on their faces. Some ran, but a majority seemed to cartwheel, flip, and somersault away in an awe-inspiring act of acrobatics. Negi barely repressed the urge to clap but did admire the casual feats of dexterity. Though his stamina and speed were much higher than most, thanks to his magic, such casual agility was beyond him on the ground. He turned attention back to his student with whom the ringmaster was whispering while making intricate gestures with arms and hands, likely to describe Zazie's new act.

The young performer nodded throughout the explanation until its completion. When finished, Prosopeio stepped back to a proper angle to observe. Zazie stood, eyes closed breathing deep. For a moment, she looked meditative. The tension melted from her body. The intensity in her face softened. She opened her eyes and all at once Zazie seemed to change. Her relaxed natural posture smoothly moved through the first dance steps, moving to a soundtrack that only she could hear. But what drew Negi's attention the most was small confident smile on her face. Her eyes unclouded, the ruby red barriers were now much warmer and inviting.

_Is... Is this really the same girl?_ It had only been two days but until this moment he had only caught flitters of emotion and ghosts of smiles. The boy found himself needing to remind himself to breathe as the quirky girl with the thousand yard stare had morphed into a tumbling beauty, her act moving to a much faster and energetic pace. Jumping and rolling, the girl paused toward the audience in an impressive one armed handstand dropping a playful wink to the nearly empty bleachers. Heat rose in Negi's face.

Just who was this girl?

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Back by the entrance, Asuna and Kazumi slipped in with their high school garb. Asuna, for her part, felt distinctly uncomfortable. This was not something she normally indulged in. Kazumi was handling it all in stride, baring the question of if she has pulled this manner of 'undercover' before.

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"Positive, I may not have much on her but everyone knows she's the only junior high student that was accepted into the Nightmare Circus."

"...The what?"

"Okay, I guess not everyone but just trust me." The reporter began leading her companion toward the gymnasium. When the girls spotted the door they noticed a young woman standing against the wall, also dressed in a high school uniform. She was shuffling a deck of rather odd looking cards in a fancy matter, sending the cards from one hand to the other, almost juggling them, much like a stage magician would. Without looking up at them, the girl arched a brow.

"Ara? We have guests?" Asuna couldn't shake the feeling that something about the girl felt a little... off. Seeming to sense her anxiety, Kazumi gave her a subtle wink and beamed a smile to the girl.

"Hi! That's a pretty cool trick with the cards there." She clapped her hands in front of her. "Oh, are you with the circus!"

"That I am."

"Really? That's so cool! I saw the sign outside and I couldn't help myself. I've heard so much about your show." The reporter laid it on with a blissfully ignorant smile. "I always thought the name was kinda scary but I've always been curious. I hope you don't mind if we take a look at the practice." She gasped and bopped herself on the forehead. "I totally forgot my manners. I'm Ren Hibiki and this is my friend Mei-chan." She cupped her hand for a stage whisper "She's a little shy."

Asuna kept silent at her side watching 'a master at work,' though she did give a little bob at her introduction. _To lie so casually... you're a frightening person, paparazzi..._

The girl with the cards bowed her head. Her bangs hid her eyes allowing and a small grin spread across her face. Putting her cards away, she chuckled slightly.

"I see... Well, with a name like 'Nightmare Circus', anyone would be hesitant, hmm?" Turning away from them, she walked inside the closest door, motioning for them to follow. "Follow me you two... I'll show you girls something interesting."

"Thanks. Ooh, I'm so excited." Kazumi giggled flashing Asuna a subtle victory sign and started after her. The redhead followed a few steps behind, unable to shake her off feeling... but she had to find out what this was about. Zazie brought him here after all... not that she cared of course.

And, no, not even she believed that thought.

"Did you know that the practice sessions of the Circus are REALLY secret?" The girl asked as she led them around. The hallway seemed long, longer than any gym hallway had any business being.

"Oh, really?"

"Because of this, the Boss goes to great of lengths to make sure no one uninvited sneaks in. After all... we wouldn't want any of the acts leaked to the public. It would be bad if, say, a reporter or spy watched us to steal our moves." The girl continued on casually, keeping her back to both girls.

"O-Oh, I hadn't realized." The reporter's smile was somewhat forced, both students sweating at their guide's direction of conversation.

_What is this, the Yakuza?!_

They all came up to a pair of double doors. Turning to face them, hair still shadowing her eyes, the girl pulled out her pack of cards once more.

"Before you move on... would you girls like a peek at your future? I dabble a little in Tarot Reading... though many people tell me I'm not very good." To her credit, Kazumi had recovered quickly with a bright smile.

"I haven't been to a fortune teller in some time, what do you say, Mei-chan?" She looked back to her companion, though said girl's attention was distracted by the gymnasium door.

_I just want to check on him._ "S-Sure..."

The performer giggled lightly before she set to shuffling the cards before their eyes, showing great dexterity and showmanship. The cards danced in the air in her skillful hands.

"I promise this will be short and sweet." When all the cards settled down, she tossed three of them in front of both girls. The dark hallway had enough ambient light from beyond the door to reveal the cards. Before Asuna were the cards labeled Page of Wands, The Tower, and The Wheel of Fate. Kazumi received The Magician, the Queen of Swords and Judgment. The atmosphere within the hallway thickened, giving the two girls an odd sensation of not being alone. The high school girl looked over the cards, unaffected. The disguised baka repressed a shiver down her back at the unnatural feeling,

_Man, it's not nearly as intense when Konoka does this..._ Her companion remained totally professional and in character despite the foreboding atmosphere.

"Ooh, so Mysterious."

"For Ren-chan... the cards tell me that you deal in information... The Magician is the center of communication, self-imposed master of her domain... If she does not know something, she must seek it out and learn it due to her own curiosity. The Queen of Swords is a woman of great intelligence and wit, with the wind element representing information and communication... Both cards together represents an eventual clashing of wits... Perhaps you will find someone who is your intellectual equal.. or superior. Based upon your actions, Judgment may fall upon you... though this begs the question of whether or not the actions you have done will warrant a good judgment... or bad..." Kazumi's confidence cracked ever so slightly, tarot was not her strong suit but the message seemed clear enough. It was a bit of a blow but if she was anything, she was not a quitter.

"Ouch, I never had too much luck with fortunes." The upperclassman seemed to give her a moment for the words to sink in and gauged the girl's reply. Making no moves of responding to Kazumi's hollow deflection, she turned her attention to the second set of cards.

"As for you... Mei-chan... The Page of Wands represents a young man with power... a fiery will and strength of spirit that is close to you. The Tower represents a calamity that has befallen the two of you... one that could spell the end of your bond. But... if you think things through... the Wheel of Fate may present an opportunity for you to set things right once more." The second fortune took the wind out of the disguised teen. Even taking more recent events into play, Asuna kagurazaka was never superstitious. But, the girl's words were entrancing and direct. She swallowed, unable to speak. It all struck far too close to home. Her eyes fell to the floor. What had happened? Why had she reduced herself to sneaking around like a rat like this?

"I-I see..." In the end, that was all she could say. The teller leaned down to pick up the cards. The girl collected them up quickly with a single pass of her hand before standing to one side of the door.

"Ah! We have talked so much and I have yet to introduce myself. Where are my manners? I am Hoshiko, resident fortune teller of the Nightmare Circus." A wicked grin spread out under her covered eyes. "It has been a pleasure speaking with you... Asuna Kagurazaka... Kazumi Asakura. Thank you for accompanying me, but, unfortunately, I must let you go. I have practice to return to, else the Boss'll get angry with me." She looked up, her bangs parted, revealing a pair of silver eyes. "I know we'll meet again." Grinning even wider, Hoshiko fell back against the dark wall. The lights flickered, darkening the already dim hall. The fortune teller vanished into the darkness. The flickering stopped and the hall was better lit than when they had originally traveled its length alone. Kazumi managed to shake it all off first. She immediately moved to the wall. It was solid.

"Eh? B-but..."

"How did she know our names?"

"Names?! She just vanished in plain sight! A trap door or something?" The reporter pulled off her wig in annoyance. "Hoshiko... Hmph, this isn't over." Asuna shook her head trying to get the sight of those silver eyes out of her mind.

"Is she like him?" Her mind traveled back to their first meeting, the boy casually keeping up with her running at full tilt. He claimed he was psychic too.

"What?"

"Never mind..." She walked forward and pushed open the double doors... high school students milled about, walking the paths in the afternoon sun...

"The back door?" Asuna sighed and made to leace. "Eh? Asuna where are you going? What about Negi?" Kazumi noted a few emotions pass over what she could see of her classmate's face.

"... I'm just going to head back..." The reporter watched her walked off, something heavy on her mind.

"Asuna?"

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Negi was stunned into silence. The whirling dance had ended with Zazie in a split, with her upper body bent completely over the back leg. The rise and fall of her chest was steady but noticeably faster than her usual Zen-like rate. It had been a beautiful display, woven with a grace and fluid movement he had rarely seen aside from an experienced broom master flying through the sky. The girl unfolded herself at a deliberate pace and started to stand, breaking his captivation enough that he began to applaud. She turned face neutral once again save for a slight note of puzzlement and another set of eyes further quelled his enthusiasm. The Ringmaster had directed a gaze upon him that clearly conveyed a level of annoyance. Negi found himself trailing off as Prosopeio turned attention to his student.

"You still have much work left to do, Zazie-chan. You are fortunate that we have ample time before our next performance." The tone was stern and even. "As the youngest star, you must try and shine your brightest at all times."

"Yes, Ringmaster."

"Now, you need to tighten up your transitions from beat four to five in the third stance. You must feel the music within you and move along its path." Prosopeio proceeded to deliver extensive notes of the small routine leaving the watcher to puzzle.

"But... That was a beautiful performance," Negi said to himself. "He's talking like she didn't do anything right." While it was hardly his place to judge, it all seemed far too harsh. Especially on the first try.

"Heh. Well, that is why you are in the audience and the boss runs the stage." A voice caused him to turn abruptly to see an older girl lounging just off to his right. He hadn't noticed her approach... Though, admittedly, his focus had been totally drawn to Zazie's performance. She smirked his way, passing a look he had become somewhat familiar with since teaching 2-A. A predatory one. "Sooo, your Zaichi's guest. Aren't you a little cutie?"

Negi gulped as she slinked closer. She was slim, as expected from a gymnast, though she bore mature curves that were only enhanced by her soft red leotard. Her hair was shoulder length, perhaps a little longer, black with streaks of bright red, and put up in a high ponytail. A slight flush rose to his face as she invaded his personal space eyes twinkling.

"Mm hmm, unfair Small time can bring a cutie like you along," she smirked, leaning in smoothly. Her lips settled next to the boy's ear. "I may just need to take you away, grow you up right." She whispered playfully before suddenly returning the space between them once more. Negi was left frozen and thoroughly embarrassed. She favored him with a shameless smile. "You got a name little boy?"

"I... ah... N-Negi Springf-field."

"Negi, hmm," she smiled. "Well, allow me to welcome you to the Nightmare Circus." She stood on the bleachers and gave a bow. "I am Tsubame, the Soaring Phoenix. Lead acrobat of the troupe." Her voice held an easy confidence that hung on the edge of prideful or arrogant. "Unfortunately, I can't stay and chat long as this is practice time. Please do enjoy the show little sensei. Perhaps you'll use some of your intern teaching time up on this part of the campus?" she said with a wink before she jumped, clearing the bleachers casually. Twisting in the air, she landed lightly on the gymnasium floor below with a light pat. "Zaichi!" she greeted brightly. She burst into the one-on-one session and hugged her kohai from behind in a rather intimate manner.

"Tsubame-sempai." Negi had to give her credit. Despite an initial flinch and slight tensing, the Zazie had given little reaction to the other girl's hug and hand placement.

"Zaichi, you're taking up all of the boss' time again. You need to learn to be more considerate. After all, everyone needs the chance to receive the proper instruction on their drills," she said firmly with a pout. Her hand caressed the stoic girl's cheek. "You're lucky you're so cute, or I may have not forgiven you." The tone had turned into the playful one she had been using on him moments ago.

"I apologize."

"Tsubame... my dear." Prosopeio turned to the older girl with hands clasped behind the back. "I would not be too bold to assume you have finished the initial excises I had given you?" The lead acrobat did not relinquish her draped position over the shorter Zazie.

"Yeah, Boss. I was hoping you could let me in on what we would be doing for the next performance. Let me prepare for the show itself."

"Now, now, you know tradition better than anyone... I will inform everyone when a show has been decided on and, from there, such preparations will begin." The Ringmaster held an even tone, giving no ground on the issue. "But your fiery spirit is, as always, to be admired. Perhaps we can work out something a bit more technical for you... A true star lives and breathes the challenge." A fist clenched in passion, cape fluttering with the sudden gesture. "Zazie, I want you to run though this once again along with drills 4 and 6. I will be keeping an eye out... Remember, we have an audience today." Negi got the impression the ringmaster was smiling as Prosopeio turned sharply, snapping fingers twice. "Come along, Tsubame."

"Coming, Boss," she chirped cheerfully, letting go of Zazie. She gave the tan girl a wink and smirk before trotting off, all smiles once more.

Negi could see the muscles in his student's shoulder tense. It took some time to smooth out with the release of a light sigh. He had to admit that brash high schooler seemed to cut in on his student's time, which bothered him somewhat. Though, frustrations were quickly forgotten when his eyes found the focused face of his roommate... a calm that bloomed once more into a stunning smile.

Further off to the side, Daichi balanced a female acrobat on one arm above him. He kept his feet and back rooted to be as stable as possible, adjusting to the girl's momentum and shifts in weight. All of this was automatic for the boy, as drills such as this had been beaten into him for years now. This natural reaction allowed his attention to focus on the other goings on.

"Well, looks like Miss Diva strikes again."

"You shouldn't talk that way about Tsubame-sempai." The girl replied with an equally casual tone, despite doing a handstand on the boy's outstretched arm. "She is one of the hardest workers, so she should be getting more personal attention then a newbie."

"Hmph, sometimes it seems she just needs attention." His expression almost bored as he flipped the girl with a easy thrust. Her feet landed upon his shoulders. "I don't doubt her work, but for all her harping of shared time she ends up taking the most."

"Now, now, Dai-kun," said a somewhat muffled voice. A part of the floor lifted and slid away. "You know full well the boss doesn't show favoritism."

"Hoshiko-sempai. Why are you underneath the floor?" he asked in a calm tone as the fortune teller pulled herself out of the hole.

Hoshiko slid the floor panel back into place before answering. "Just taking the scenic route is all." The girl on Daiichi's shoulders dropped down to a sitting position, legs draping over his shoulder to his chest, head propped up on one elbow atop his head.

"And why are you wearing contacts?"

"The better to see you with my dear," the fortuneteller replied tauntingly without missing a beat. Pulling a small case out from her pocket, she paused a moment, popping a contact from her right eye, revealing a light brown beneath it. "I was just putting up a bit of a show for some visitors who came by."

"Visitors?" the girl parroted. "I thought the only visitor outside the usuals was Zazie's little friend."

"Not the teacher, but two of his students." she replied calmly as she removed the other contact. Hoshiko blinked a few times to get used to seeing the world without a silver tint.

"Ah, okay... Wait. How did you know th-" Daichi started but the older girl was already on her way off.

"Sorry, I need to go change for practice..." she called over her shoulder, rushing off. The strongman placed his arms on his hip with a frown.

"Sempai confuses me sometimes."

"I know, how can someone do such odd things so casually?" the girl said. She was now upside down once more, hanging down across the larger boy's chest with her legs hooked over his shoulders to his back. He looked down to her and she looked up to meet his gaze.

"Your really not one to talk Ai-chan."

Ai tiled her head. "Huh?"

"Never mind let's just continue practice."

"Right!" She unhooked her legs and twisted until her feet were below in Dai's cupped hands. With a heave, she was launched upward where she did a few aerial twists before landing on the boy once more.

A successful show is made of the sweat and tears of many weeks of preparation and constant effort to improve one's self. It's this work that helps the heart of a performer grow and also to spark the talent of those performers to come...

Show goes on and on.

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Practice had ended and after a small amount of chat with the ringmaster. The pair had headed back to their room. It had certainly been an experience and, though she didn't show it, Negi got the feeling Zazie was more comfortable with all her sempai at the club rather than opposed to her own classmates. It was a little troublesome to find out but they all seemed friendly enough that it was understandable. Prosopeio had even given him a free pass to visit the practice whenever he wished.

But club time turned back into real time and reality sank in, leaving the pair to get to work for the coming day. Zazie sat on her bed working on homework, allowing Negi to use the desk for his study plans and grading. The light scraping of pencils and the occasional twitter of her birds were the only sounds that could be heard as they worked. It was a pleasant silence, but it did little to keep his mind from wandering. This had been good for his mood and thus allowing him to think a bit clearer... Obviously, just talking things out with Asuna was not working. Perhaps a show of good faith. She did want a love potion and, if he wasn't mistaken, then he still had some magic capsules from his grandfather. With a few of those he could replicate a love potion much easier. That was it. He'd make it before class and give it to her after lessons were over. Surely, that would help smooth things over.

He gave a slight nod to himself. That would be the plan. With that out of the way, his mind turned to his quiet, yet mysterious, roommate and they day they had. His eyes turned once again to the picture on her desk. The young performer smiled at the camera in a goofy pose alongside the ringmaster.

_Such a nice smile._ The boy propped his head on a hand. _Is it... Is it just for show?_

"Sensei?"

"Hmm?" He shook himself out of his wonderings to glance back. The performer had her eyes still focused on her textbooks.

"Do you feel better?"

"Huh?" Negi blinked, unsure what she was speaking of. She looked up, leveling her impassive gaze on him once more. "Do I feel better?"

She nodded, appeared to have a mild discomfort at his lack of reply. "You were... sad earlier. Even though you smiled." She spoke softly, but the words hit hard.

She'd noticed? Had he really been that obvious?

"No, I wasn't sad or anything."

"You had sad eyes."

"I-"

"After class too."

"W-Well, I mean, things have been a little rough lately. I guess," he admitted looking down. He hadn't expected her to be reading him so much... He blinked. "Wait, you mean... You invited me to your rehearsal to cheer me up?" he ventured. Zazie gave him a small nod in return. A genuine smile came to the child teacher's face, touched by the effort. "Thank you, Rainyday-san. I had a really good time."

Zazie relaxed a little at that. At least she had been successful... She had been unsure exactly what she could do. But, if practice made her feel good, then it should work with others... it made enough sense to risk it. Though, her sempai seemed to make a big deal of it...

"And your performance was beautiful. I really enjoyed it."

"Ah?" Zazie found that feeling returning to her from his smile and words. It was not nearly as strong as the very first time from that night but it was steady enough that she found that she needed to repress a slight reddening in her cheeks. "I am still practicing... I have much to learn."

"It was still amazing. I don't care what your Ringmaster says." Negi pressed with a firm nod.

The girl found words harder to come by but managed a thankful nod before digging her nose into her study materials. She could hear a light chuckle from him before he turned back around. Silence befell them once more. The only sounds in her ears were the chirping of the birds, soft scraping of pencils, and the rapid thumping of her heart.

What was this that he could do to her? Tsubame-sempai could occasionally raise such feelings, but it was usually through her teasing and hugging. Negi's seemed much more powerful as he could do it with but a glance and a smile. Maybe he was some sort of mage? Perhaps... it would likely be better to just ask about it... Shizuna-sensei usually knew what was going on.

Night fell and the temptation of sleep came on strong. After saying their goodnights, Negi slipped into his sleeping bag for a restful night of sleep. Zazie lay awake growing anxious, anticipating her young sensei to wander over like he did the night before... Konoe-san had said he didn't do it every night, but, well... she wouldn't mind if he did. It was a nice feeling... Just thinking about it brought a flush to her cheeks.

As if answering her thoughts, the light shuffle of cloth and footsteps could be heard. She grasped the blanket tightly on reflex... he really was coming. Her heartbeat increased and she had to calm her breathing. She could feel a light weight on the bed. The acrobat turned to open the sheets up catching sight of Negi's darkened silhouette... though instead of a face there was a white mask. The girl stared openly, unsure what had happened until the mask began to bob up and down in some manner of silent laughter. Zazie's mouth twisted downward slightly, eyes glowing red.

"Not funny..." she muttered. The silhouette lost its form, melting into the amorphous shadow she was more familiar with. It gave a little bow as if to apologize but a few more bobbing masks in the corner left the apology in doubt. Allowing herself a small pout, she opened her mouth to speak but a shuffle caught the attention of all beings in the room. Negi had indeed gotten up and was stumbling over to the bed. She spared a glance to the closest shadow which moved aside. Neither it nor any of the other shadows made any move towards the boy... They seemed more curious then hungry this time. Zazie raised the sheet so the half-asleep Negi could slip in easily. She only tensed a moment when the boy embraced her. She looked down to her teacher with a small smile. He didn't say anything this night but just the warmth of his boy alongside her filled her with the mysterious, yet pleasant feeling that she'd gotten small tastes off all day. Her arms slowly snaked around him and she pulled him close.

The observers melted into the shadows, giving them privacy. Zazie allowed herself to fall into a comfortable sleep. Both Teacher and student found it easier to sleep with the other's warmth.

To be continued

A/N - Another day in Mahora. an introduction to the Nightmare circus and the odd upperclassman... no worries on OCs taking over though as members of 3-A will be joining the Nightmare circus as time passes. The amazing Prosopeio, the gender ambiguious ringmaster, will be playing a large part and I once again credit Windfalcon with coming up with this crazy fun character. Asuna is starting to come to terms with what she needs to do and how she feels, the build up continues there. Zazie continues to be clueless about her odd feelings slowly working them out, now under scutiny of her classmates though. Already starting to work out chapter three, stay tuned true believers!


	3. Chapter 3

_**It's Always the Quiet Ones**_

by Ryoga's best friend

Comments  
Anime-Freak317 – I had sampled that series after I started this fic, several friend recommended it as a good series to get ideas for the nightmare circus portions. It's been very helpful. As for the love potion trust me... it's going to be very different.

l33tmansayswoot - Thanks for your kind words :)

Konoha no Kiroi Senko – The are Zazies companions during the mahorafest arc... their origins are never explained (much like Zazie) so I came up with my own reasons.

Bookeater – I have thought long and hard on how things will progress and it's not going to be the same as canon. The pactioed girls will be different, the setting is going to change a bit and the relationships will have heavy sway on the story. The tug of war between Asuna and Zazie is only just getting to swing and though other like Negi and may make the occasional move it's primarily between those two.

Everyone else - Thank you to all the reviewers for there positive support of my work and Zazie-chan. Glad I am not the only Zazie fan out there. I'd also like to thank my idea man WindFalcon (also the creator of the Ringmaster Prosopeio) as well as Ikari666 for doing a smash job in editing this work. Everyone enjoy the show!

_**Chapter 3**_

The rising sun cast its morning light over the Mahora campus. Far before most girls would think of waking, Asuna was already jogging through the streets. A satchel full of newspapers bounced against her side. It was a routine ingrained into her though years of repetition. With just muscle memory, she tossed papers right and left. Each one hit their mark unerringly. Her steps felt lighter than they had for the last few days. Her long chat with Konoka did much to lessen her burden. Though, silver eyes still weighed heavy in her dreams.

_As for you... Mei-chan... the Page of Wands represents a young man with power, a fiery will, and strength of spirit that is close to you. The Tower represents a calamity that has befallen the two of you... One that could spell the end of your bond…_

The papergirl did her best to rub away the goose bumps on her arm as they appeared. Her misadventure the day before had left her with much to think about... and an explanation to Konoka as to why she was dressed up like a high schooler. A small sweat drop creased her forehead at remembrance of her friend's pouting face, more annoyed that she had been left out than anything. _It's not as if I had planned on it..._ Releasing a sigh, she tried to focus on the task at hand.

_Negi..._

Things couldn't go on like this. Despite the incident and who witnessed it, the more she looked back on it the less she could really blame the boy. There was another factor in this as well, but she refused to consciously acknowledge it. It was just because it was her first kiss. That was all. Nothing else to it. Nope.

_But... if you think things through... the Wheel of Fate may present an opportunity for you to set things right once more._

There was a clang as the next paper she threw bounced off the mailbox instead of going in the slot. She trotted back and placed it properly with a sigh.

"I really need to end this stupid fight..." she muttered before focusing herself to finish the rest of her route.

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"Gah?!" The exclamation was followed by a thud.

Zazie passed a curious look to her roommate, who was once again on the floor covering his eyes. His frame was shaking and his face bright red once more. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she scooted to the edge of the bed.

"Shirt?"

"Y-yes, p-please..."

The girl allowed herself a small sigh. It seemed that he was somewhat uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed despite his curious habit. It was such a waste to dress before cleaning up for the day. The acrobat slid to her feet and glided over to her closet, picking out one of her larger shirts covering to just below her rear. She turned to the boy who continued to be 'gentlemanly' and not look. She silently strode over and crouched down behind him. He didn't seem to be aware of her presence. Giving into her urge, she leaned forward close to his ear.

"Boo." It was soft and had no inflection, but the boy still jumped and fell forwards. Zazie gave a ghost of a smile as the boy looked her way with a cute, puzzled look.

"Rainyday-san..." he muttered with a slight whine.

"Sorry," she replied, but the lack of inflection left the apology in doubt. He sighed as they both stood. She was dressed... sort of. He did his best to keep his eyes up because the shirt only covered so much. She gathered her supplies and looked to him. "Bath?"

"I'm okay, Rainyday-san," he lied with a smile, getting a nod in return. She started out and paused, considering something. Turning around, she bore a curious expression and strode toward him. Negi had to repress a blush when the girl leaned close. She gave a few light sniffs, nose crinkling.

"Stinky."

"Eh?"

"Bath." This time it was not a question. He looked up to argue his side of things, but her eyes were firm. Negi swallowed and gave a reluctant nod.

"B-but what about the others?" he ventured with a last ditch to weasel out.

"Early," was all he got in reply but that was hardly comforting... anytime he'd entered that bath it started out deserted and was full by the end. She held his gaze for a moment before she broke away. Though she hadn't said a word, he felt somehow comforted in a weird way. But it wasn't making him anymore thrilled about taking a bath.

The walk down the hall was quiet, the occasional buzz of a girl waking. For the most part, it seemed like the girls were still sound asleep. Zazie opened the door to the expansive bath and the boy couldn't help but gasp again at the impressive sight. It was more like a resort pool than a dorm bath. The performer's eyes turned to the pool. Floating over the steam was student number one out of her odd uniform, apparently waiting for something. Making no move to disturb her classmate, she turned to her teacher.

"Get ready," she instructed, pointing to the dividers. She received a blush from the boy.

"B-but Rainyday-san, it's indecent..."

Zazie blinked looking out to the water and then back to her roommate. "It's a bath." The statement was simple and hard to argue. It seemed the girl had no qualms about the nudity involved. It was so different. Asuna had always made a big stink about them so he never had to argue this side of the reasoning before. He swallowed, noticing Zazie starting to slip off her shirt, revealing the bare skin underneath.

"A-Aren't you going to wear a bathing suit?" he managed to get out with a small squeak. Zazie cocked her head to the side with a puzzled frown.

"Then how could I wash?"

"I... well..." The teacher sighed and lowered his head in defeat. That wasn't how the argument was supposed to go.

"Strip."

"O-okay..." He swallowed and moved behind the divider. He came out after a few moments dressed in his swim trunks. Zazie turned abruptly to the empty pool with a curious look. "Rainyday-san?"

"She ran..."

"Huh?" The boy blinked, unsure just who Zazie was referring to. The girl didn't bother to explain further. She faced him once more, forcing him to immediately avert his gaze, cheeks burning.

"Shower?"

"R-right," he squeaked stiffly, moving to the showers to clean up. He felt far out of his element at the moment. The girl was so uncaring of being seen. But at the same time she wasn't trying to flaunt her body or molest him like the others. It was just a part of the day to her, which put Zazie once again in her own special category. He tried to focus on cleaning himself and not on the shower next to him. The whole situation was just too unreal. He almost wished he was still sleeping... in his sleeping bag, if possible.

"Let me wash your back."

This girl was going to be the death of him...

Negi was ashamed to admit that it was kind of nice. Bathing alongside Asuna was always a rough experience as she made damn sure he was clean every time. And the other girls... Well, though it often started out nice, it usually turned into several girls groping him. All Zazie was doing was washing his back like she'd offered. Nothing more and nothing less. Keeping his mind focused on the wall ahead of him he could even ignore that fact that she was naked... mostly. Though, he did manage to lower the red in his face a few shades.

"Hair?"

"Ah, I did that, Rainyday-san." He could feel a hand go through his hair. It felt nice, though he doubted that was her intention. She was merely making sure he had washed his hair properly; she must have heard that he tended to avoid such things. In this case he hadn't, but he almost wished he had.He had a feeling that she'd use a much gentler touch then he was used to.

The performer nodded in approval before moving away. He strained to hear her light footfalls. She was such a quiet person in everything she did. He turned his attention back to cleaning himself. After all, the longer he stayed the more likely someone would show...

Zazie watched her young teacher from the pool's edge. He had made a point not to look her way the whole time, something about being a gentleman. It was somewhat disappointing. The few times he did look filled her with a thrill much more potent than his normal gaze. But, it seemed to cause him undue stress and that was not her intention. Perhaps he did not receive the same thrill she got? The acrobat looked down to her hands. She'd washed her roommate as Konoka had suggested, leaving her of two minds about the experience... Touchy feely was not normally her thing. She acknowledged a person's personal space and believed she deserved that same respect. But with Negi... She frowned slightly, mulling over situation. It was just different.

Her eyes turned to the door. Her sharp ears caught the light chatter she'd long associated with her classmates. Negi was too focused on his washing to catch their arrival... Hadn't he been worried about the other girls showing up? "Ah..." She stood and headed back over in time to see the door open.

"Oh, my god, is that Negi-kun?"

The young teacher froze for a moment. He tried valiantly not to move at all but on reflex he looked up. It was only a few girls from his class. Makie and her roommate, Ako, were up along front. The latter self-consciously pulled her towel closer. Along with them was the rather skittish Nodoka Miyazaki, who looked more mortified than himself. She was flanked on either side by her roommates, Yue and Haruna. A couple more girls filed in behind this group, but he couldn't identify them.

"S-Sensei and Rainyday-san..." the Liberian muttered looking past him.

"Morning." How she could sound so casual in such a situation, he would never know. Zazie Rainyday was indeed a strong person.

"Ho ho, taking advantage of the benefits I see," the manga artist smirked. "You should learn to share with your fellow classmates."

"Hm?" It was a puzzled sound he'd grown used to over the last few days. He didn't have to turn to know the look she likely had... and he didn't dare in her state of undress. At least the group in front wore towels.

"S-Share?" Nodoka squeaked.

"You!" Now it was dangerous, Ayaka had pushed her way through the crowd up front pointing, likely to Zazie. "What do you think you were doing to Negi-sensei?" Her tone was demanding and jealous.

"...Cleaning. He was dirty." Her blunt honesty sent a flush to his face.

"Rainyday-san, was that necessary?" he whispered. With trepidation, he glanced back a little to at least see her face but ended up with the bonus sight of her slim figure.

"Hee hee, Negi's a dirty boy." Makie covered her mouth as she giggled. "I'll help clean him up."

"That will not be necessary." The speed at which his roommate replied was surprising.

"R-Right, I was just finishing up." He turned back to the assembled girls, who had moved closer. Two more entered the baths pulling up the rear, Ayaka's roommates Chizuru and Nasumi. The gymnast giggled and came right up to him.

"In that case, why don't you soak with us?" She already started to pull him along to the pool. This was bad.

"Makie-san, I-I really shouldn't be staying in h-here." He struggled but the athletic baka pink had little trouble moving him along. "I'm an English gentleman."

"Well, then it's not very gentlemanly to turn down the offer of a lady." Ayaka slid in, teaming up with Makie for 'the greater good.'

Desperate, Negi looked back to his roommate who wore a puzzled frown. But before he could send any other signal, he was tossed bodily into the hot bath.

Zazie caught the look. She recalled where she had spotted such a look before. In these situations, Asuna would muscle in and drag the boy out from the other girl's grasps. She gave a small nod to herself and started forward.

"Rainyday-san." The performer glanced back to see one of the more mature girls of 2-A.

"Naba-san?"

"I just wanted to say you've been doing a good job lately taking care of Negi-sensei," Chizuru said with an easy smile. "I was admittedly worried at first but he seems to be getting along much better."

"Ah... Thank you." Her reply was a little unsure. "I believe Sensei requires my assistance."

"Um, yeah... it looks like Makie's trying to get his shorts off." Nasumi gave a slightly nervous chuckle. Some of her classmates were very aggressive.

"Don't let us hold you up." Zazie nodded and rushed to the pools edge. She jumped, twisting wildly through the air before smoothly entering the water a little ways past her classmates, much to the surprise and awe of the girls watching.

"My, my... she's quite limber." Chizuru's noted first to recover from the spectacle.

"Amazing, with that small a start too." Her smaller roommate's tone held much more envy. Of course, it was another exotic, amazing person... Why did she have to be so ordinary?

Zazie popped free from the water, a small spray going up in all directions. She stood a blank expression not a foot away from Ayaka and Makie. Both girls were staring openly at the impressive, if needless, feat of acrobatics. She put out a hand and offered her performer's smile.

"Sensei and I need to prepare for class."

"Um, sure..." The blond gave a slight nod, releasing their sensei. Makie let go as well, allowing the child teacher to scramble free and retighten his swim trunks. Off to the side, the members of the Library Exploration Club watched on.

"She is far more formidable than I suspected. So casual after such a feat, and naked no less. A bold woman she is. A dangerous smile too..."

"Maybe she's not interested," Yue noted hoping to stem her friend's overactive mind. "She doesn't seem fazed at all."

"Hmph, she's probably just hiding it." Haruna gave a firm nod. "But this isn't over yet."

"P-please, really. Don't make such a fuss of this." Nodoka had taken a hidden position behind her friends ever since being spotted by her sensei. She peeked out as the odd foreigner led a relieved Negi to their things.

"Nodoka, you can't just step aside once the competition arrives. You have to fight!" Paru placed a firm hand on her shoulder along with a thumbs up. "Don't worry, I'll get to work on a fool-proof plan." The artist pointedly ignored the sigh and groan of her companions. This was for her friend's benefit. She'd thank her when it was all said and done.

Back by the door, Zazie dried off and slipped the large shirt back on, much to Negi's relief. Her face was blank once more, bringing question to how true that smile really was. But that could be put aside for the moment, he was just glad to be on his own two feet again.

"Thank you, Rainyday-san." He passed her a small smile getting a nod in return, the girl focused on gathering her things. There was still a lot that he didn't know of his roommate but it was plain enough to see that she was a good, reliable person. They strolled over to the door and opened it.

"Ah..."

"Oh, no." Ahead of them was a veritable gauntlet as the twenty odd remaining students of 2-A stood, towel clad and ready to bathe before morning classes.

"Is that Negi-bozu?"

"Such a perv, he must have been waiting for us."

"Well, let's not keep him waiting."

"Negi-sensei!"

"Negi-kun!"

The life of a junior high teacher was fraught with peril...

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It took some time, but Zazie and Negi had managed to get back and dress for class. Due to the holdup, they headed out at the same time, jogging in silence among the crowd of girls. Now, this was the norm, as was his outpacing of the older, taller girls. But Zazie, aside from breathing a little hard, was keeping up... He'd offered to slow down but she seemed insistent on going fast. The way her eyes kept views on all of the girls the reasoning became more obvious. She didn't feel comfortable in the huge crowd of girls. _Then how does she get in? After all, she's not always early... Does she take a different way in?_ Though, that would be par for the course.

Zazie Rainyday always walked a path different from the other girls.

Zazie let out a slight sigh of relief as they came into class. Ignoring a few glares from the chief Negi fans, she headed to her desk and took a seat. The attention was a little less intense than it had been yesterday. They had tried to grill her in the bath that morning but got little information. The acrobat had clammed up soon after they converged, a shame she suffered quietly as she could practically hear her classmates thinking of a new way to get information from her. She was getting used to the gazes, but one felt different. She scanned the class to see Kazumi up in front leaning back and looking right at her. It made her distinctly uncomfortable in a new way. The other girls all wanted to know about Negi, but Asakura seemed focused directly on her.

She was saved by the ring of the bell and Negi going through homeroom procedure. It was brief and he was replaced by the Math teacher. English was scheduled for the last class of the day. Now, 2-A was hardly a group of scholars, and Zazie was well aware that without the Baka Rangers she was the lowest score in class. Every student had their bad classes and Zazie was no exception… The chief of which was math, though history wasn't much better. Unable to focus, her mind wandered while time passed. Her thoughts went back to the evening before and her current situation...

_Practice had started to wind down. Prosopeio had told everyone to go through cooling down exercises. "Hoshiko, Tsubame... Would you be so kind as to keep Zazie's guest entertained? I have things I need to discuss with Zazie." After a moment, he added, "and Hoshiko, do make sure Tsubame doesn't suffocate our celebrity with too much affection, hmm?"_

_Zazie took a glance back at her senpai as she made her way to Negi._

_Chuckling softly, the masked performer placed a hand on Zazie's shoulder before leading her out of the Gymnasium towards a certain room. "Since you no doubt wish to join your guest later, my dear, we will use the Gym Office for privacy. Though, I do expect a visit later on."_

_At the touch, she turned to look up to the ringmaster and gave a small nod. She made no flinch at the contact, like she did with many other people, and followed him easily across the gym, face blank._

_Once inside the office, the ringmaster made sure to lock the door before motioning for Zazie to take a seat. "Would you like some tea, dear?" Prosopeio asked. The firm, businesslike tone of the ringmaster's voice suddenly sounded more parental. "It has, after all, been two weeks since our last meeting... and I have missed you, my dear." Taking a seat across from Zazie, the masked performer placed a hand over the bottom part of the large mask. With a soft click, the bottom half of the mask pulled away, revealing a warm smile._

_Zazie had followed him into the room and stood at attention until being prompted by Prosopeio. She smoothly crossed the room and took a seat, keeping her eyes on the ringmaster. At the offer, she gave a steady nod. At the statement after, her eyes turned downward, with some shame. _

_"Mm... I apologize."_

_Prosopeio shook his head with a chuckle. The sound was not unlike bells ringing, since the mask no longer muffled his voice. _

_"I could do without the apologies, dear one... A visit, and perhaps some new news, would be all that I require." With a wave of his hand, a small cloud of smoke briefly covered the table... and upon clearing, a platter containing a complete tea set lay before them. "Orange Tea... Sweet, as you like it, my dear. And freshly baked biscuits with orange marmalade, also as you like it." Smiling brightly, Prosopeio poured the two of them tea. Zazie nodded and smiled at the offered goodies. Prosopeio always had the right treats. She took a whiff of the tea, enjoying the citrusy aroma, before sipping._

_"Mm... Thank you, Ozu'laji." she said softly, the name twisted her tongue in an unnatural way. The foriegn word stuck out against the smoother Japanese. The ringmaster sat back, looking at Zazie's face._

_"No need for thanks, I am always glad to provide. So, tell me, dear... what has happened recently? I hear your class has been in quite a stir since the young man became Takamichi-kun's replacement."_

_Zazie placed her cup on the saucer and gained a thoughtful expression allowing a small nod. "Ah, it gets very loud sometimes." The notion brought an almost-pout to her features. The squeals were too much sometimes. "Negi-Sensei works hard though..."_

_Prosopeio's head tilted slightly to one side as the masked performer looked at Zazie thoughtfully. "Odd..." he observed."You were never one to care one way or another about your teachers... This Negi-sensei must be quite spectacular for you to bring him to our practice."_

_Zazie paused halfway into biting a biscuit. There was only a moment' hesitation before she resumed the action and swallowed. A little of the marmalade stuck to her nose from the slip. She considered her answer as she wiped the jam away. _

_"Negi-sensei is... not a great teacher," she began. "But... he is learning. He works very hard to get better. Though... he is a very strange boy..." she finished looking a little puzzled herself. More than any other person, Negi confused her. "Very powerful, too," she added with a firm nod as she took another bite of the snack._

_Letting out a soft, thoughtful hum, Prosopeio took a soft sip of tea, before picking up a biscuit. Considering the orange marmalade on top for a moment, the ringmaster looked towards Zazie curiously. _

_"Something has your attention on him. "Strange?" "Powerful?" Zazie-chan, mayhaps you should start from the beginning and tell me everything, hmm? Even as we were practicing, you seemed to be more energetic and thoughtful than usual when you performed with his gaze on you. Are you perhaps... close... with the boy?"_

_"Close?" Zazie considered it before giving a small nod, "Mm, Negi-sensei is my roommate," she replied calmly not catching the subtle nudge. "Three days ago, Shizuna-sensei asked me to accept him. Asuna Kagurazaka got into an argument with Sensei and kicked him out," she explained evenly. The performer took a sip of tea. "He has shared my room since yesterday."_

_"Ahh... I see... So, Negi-sensei is your roommate... hmm..." Taking a moment to sip the tea, Prosopeio nodded. There was a small, nagging little thought in the Ringmaster's mind, but Prosopeio merely put it off. "How do you feel about this arrangement?" _

_Zazie's mouth twisted a little and her eyebrows lowered. "I... I am not used to someone in my room..." she admitted softly. "It is not... unpleasant, just strange." She sighed, fiddling with the tea cup. "He does many odd things. Many times, I don't understand what he is doing... he is very..." Zazie searched for more proper word but had to settle with, "strange."_

"_I trust your 'friends' are keeping themselves hidden in the young teacher's presence?"_

_She took a sip of tea to relax and nodded. "Mm, they behave... mostly."_

"_Now I know something is odd..." Prosopeio said, setting his teacup down to lean forward, smirking. "Tell me, my dear… what does he do that is so strange, hmm? You know you can tell your Ozu'laji anything... and you look to have many questions."_

_Zazie tinged red ever so slightly at her inability to properly describe her sensei hiding it with a long sip of tea until she could compose herself. "Well... Sensei is..." She frowned lightly. "He smiles when he is sad... he always asks if I am well, watching me carefully... but... but he never comments if I act differently than my classmates." She fidgeted with her cup. "He can be very strong... but also weak. He confuses me." She hesitated for several moments staring into the placid surface of her drink. "He has powerful eyes... Just a look and I feel strange. His smiles too, very powerful." Her tone was serious as she nodded. By the time Zazie finished, a slight sniffling could be heard from Prosopeio. She looked over and saw that he a hand over his mouth. Zazie could easily see the tears flowing from behind the mask. _

_"Oh, dear... You have grown up so quickly, my child..." Leaning back, Prosopeio pulled a handkerchief from one of the billowing sleeves of the ringmaster outfit and dabbed at the tears, staining the cloth. Zazie blinked, genuinely confused at the sudden turn in direction of this conversation."My dear... it appears... that you are developing feelings for your young teacher... In fact... this may be your first crush." Getting up from the chair, the masked Ringmaster moved to kneel besides Zazie, wrapping both arms around the girl in a gentle embrace while placing an elegant chin right on her shoulder. _

_"Crush?" She rolled the word on her tongue. Her face took on a thoughtful look. She had heard her classmates speak of such a thing in the past. If that was the case, then... She blinked, eyes widening slightly, the hint of a blush returning. She remained silent, wrapping her head around the ringleader's words. "Are... Are you sure you are not mistaken?" Her normally calm voice held a slight tremor. _

_"These feelings will continue to confuse you, my dear. I have no doubt that they will only feel stranger and stranger to you as time goes on. But, believe me when I say that it will all be worth it in the end." Placing a gentle kiss on Zazie's cheek, the masked performer smiled._

_The girl managed to stay relaxed despite the affectionate gesture, but her mind was set awhirl._

She jumped slightly in her seat when she was caught off guard by the bell. She looked around and saw that the history teacher was on his way out. She had zoned out through almost two class periods. Shizuna-sensei would not be pleased if she found out. She decided to omit that part of her day at her next counseling session. Putting her head down, the desk felt cool to the touch. She reasoned that her face must have been burning. "Crush..." It was a hard accusation to swallow, but it was also hard to dispute with the more thought she put to it. She wasn't one to openly swoon like many of the girls in her class, but she still had a pleasant feeling of fluttering bubbles in her stomach from his look and touch.

"Do the other girls feel like this?" The question was but a whisper and went unanswered. Even the unusually sharp ears of her deskmate could not pick up her musings as she left to pester Nodoka. So many questions, but who could she ask? _How _could she ask? Maybe it was a case of thinking too much, working one's self up over nothing.

"All rise!" Zazie looked over to see Negi entering the room. A familiar lightness from her stomach and flowed all the way to her head. Negi reached the podium looking much happier than usual. The warm smile on his face brightened up the room. The performer schooled her expression with years of practice, meeting his smile with a blank face when he turned her way.

To her right, Haruna sniffed the air lightly. The manga-ka raised an eyebrow to her deskmate, shooting her a smirk. "As I thought.."

Zazie blinked looking to the artist,meeting her gaze impassively. She didn't let show, but she felt a chill go down her spine for some reason.

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Negi couldn't repress his smile as he worked through the lesson. Today, he was sure to end the spat between him and Asuna. It had taken some doing, but he'd managed to use his grandfather's magic pills to whip up a love potion. It seemed a suitable peace offering to smooth things over. The weight of the vial in his pocket kept beckoning to him. Focusing on class was all he could do to keep from running over and giving it to her right now.

Asuna, on the other hand, felt nervousness. Even though she had made the determination to settle this stupid fight today, she had no idea how to go about it. Her confidence further waned as she had heard bits and pieces about Zazie's care of the boy. Apparently, the quiet girl got along fine and hadn't raised a single complaint as of yet... even after taking him to the baths. Did he even still want to come back? That thought left a cold lump in her stomach. He seemed so upbeat today, maybe...

Konoka cast a subtle glance to her roommate, who looked like a drooping flower. They had a long talk the night before and she'd gotten the impression that Asuna was finally coming to her senses. Her friend's odd behavior worried her though. In most circumstances, Asuna was fully capable of accomplishing any task. But when it came to matters of the heart, it was not uncommon for the girl to buckle under the pressure and avoid the issue. If that were the case, then things would remain awkward. Negi seemed in a much better mood at least.

Time could only move so slowly and English class came to an end with the ring of a bell. Zazie immediately rose, skirting past Haruna and heading to the door at a decent clip. She had her session with Shizuna-sensei next, but more than that she wanted to get away from the constant stares of Kazumi and Haruna.

The two girls gave a private smile. The reporter slipped out, shadowing the performer, while the artist met with Yue and Nodoka by the door. It was time for a planning session. All the while, Negi moved forward to meet with a somewhat reluctant Asuna. She gathered herself and tried to confront it head on.

"Negi, I ne-"

"Asuna-san, hold on," he cut her off in his excitement. "I have just the thing." He placed his satchel on the desk before pulling out a vial of pink liquid.

Annoyed at the interruption, she couldn't help but be a little baffled and cautious. "What is that?"

"A love potion!" he said with clear enthusiasm and pride.

A love potion? He'd really made one... did that mean things weren't so far out of... Wait a minute… "I thought you said it would take months to make something like this."

"I found a shortcut."

"Shortcut?" Asuna crossed her arms. "No thanks, sounds a bit sketchy to me."

"But Asuna-san I thought you wanted to get together with Takamichi." Negi frowned; this wasn't how this was supposed to go. This was supposed to mend fences.

The temptation was there, but she'd been subject to the backfiring of one too many spells in their short time together. "Look, what happened to that 'courage is true magic' spiel you gave me?"

"W-well, yeah, but these are hard to come by!" he argued. This had to work.

"I said: I don't want it."

"But, Asuna-san, really, I-"

"No."

"It's the answer to all your problems. Just take it," he pushed.

It didn't take long for Asuna's annoyance and paranoia to snap back sharply. She snatched the vial and popped the top. "If this is so impressive, why don't you take it?!" she growled, sticking the vial in his mouth. The surprised mage swallowed the bubbling liquid before either one was really sure what was happening. For a moment, she was worried that it might be the real deal but she didn't feel any different. And, judging by his confusion, Negi was equally disappointed. She stifled a relieved sigh and crossed her arms. "See? Nothing..."

"No way... I know I mixed everything like I was supposed to..." Negi's former cheeriness took a hard hit in the face of failure.

Asuna collected herself, hoping to get back on track. "Now that that's over with, I needed to talk with you..." She did her best to remain firm as a the mage looked her way, halfhearted and distracted. "Considering how things have been lately, I just wanted to get this off my chest..." She took a breath. "What I'm trying to say is-"

"You're so cute..."

Both Asuna and Negi blinked at Konoka. The bubbly girl crouched down and looked the boy right in the face. She giggled and hugged him close, causing him to flush scarlet.

"Konoka, what the hell are you doing?" Asuna felt a spike of panic in her stomach as he tried to squirm out of Konoka's grasp ineffectually. Glancing about the room, she saw the remaining girls of 2-A were all staring toward their teacher. All of them had the same distant, dopey expressions. She looked to the empty glass tube in her hand and swallowed.

This can't be good...

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The guidance counselor began their session with a smile. "So, Rainyday-san, I'm sure things have been quite busy for you lately." She watched the girl relax into the chair across from her. "I'd really like to hear what you think of things as they stand now."

Zazie was quiet for a moment, shaking the thought of the eyes of the girls of 2-A from her mind. After, a slight nod set off the start to the familiar questions and answers.

It went like this often. They began with Shizuna getting Zazie's view on things she heard of happening around the school. Then, she would prod the young girl to open up a little about herself. If necessary, she would give advice for issues that confused her. By the end, Shizuna would usually make a suggestion of a task to complete for the next session. Though, with Negi's arrival and the subsequent change in the girl's living arrangements, their sessions focused mainly on that.

"So, how has class gone since the rooming change?"

"Mm... My classmates have been very talkative as of late... with me. I think some are upset..." Her voice was at the typical soft tone, but she felt self-conscious this day. It may have been related to the questions she anticipated were coming more than anything.

"Upset? Now, why would you say that?" Shizuna's voice held a clear note of concern.

"They give me looks." At the counselor's expression, she clarified. "Challenging," she said, replicating the look she'd been getting from Ayaka. It was a rather sudden shift from her usual blank look. It was gone as quickly as it had come. "Some girls look like that."

The counselor managed to repress a light chuckle the bubbled up from the unfitting expression on Zazie's face. That, combined with the puzzled look that followed, posed the question if she was aware how cute she could act.

"I see..." Shizuna said thoughtfully. "Well, from what I can tell, it seems that several of the girls are jealous of you," she explained. The woman made note of a brief moment of surprise on the face of the student. She offered a smile. "It's hardly a secret the Negi-sensei is popular among the girls in your class. Makie-san and Ayaka-san were only two of several that came to me in hopes of getting Negi in their room."

"...I heard about that..." Zazie muttered. Her eyes indicated she wanted to say more but was not sure what to say.

"I'm sure you're curious why I picked you, in that case?" Shizuna ventured, getting a hesitant nod in return. She smiled a little. "That... is a secret." A wink brought a rare clear expression to Zazie's face. A distinct pout fell onto her features.

"...Mean..."

"I'm sorry Zazie-san." The older woman chimed with some light laughter, leaning her elbows on the desk and taking the students annoyed glare with ease. "Honestly, you shouldn't even worry about it... You're doing a very good job and I've heard nothing but good things from Negi-sensei." The annoyance faded along with a puzzled blink.

"Really?"

"Yes." The counselor held an even gaze. "All the looks from the girls... they are what has made you questioning? That is, what is making you doubt yourself."

"Ah..."

"Zazie-san, you're not used to attention. Outside of your work in the Nightmare Circus, you've done everything to avoid bringing attention to yourself." Her tone was careful, but firm. "Am I wrong?"

Eyes turned away as the girl shifted in the chair before slowly shaking her head.

"Zazie-san, I want you to tell me, as best you can, how this situation makes you feel. In your words." The qualification a nudge to get Zazie to open up. The girl gave a slight nod at the request, contemplating how to properly answer.

"Ah... well..." She flushed a little. "They ask a lot of questions, I have trouble finding words to say..." She admitted, clasping her hands in her lap, eyes downward. "I am not sure if they appreciate my silence... It is not my intention. I just..." She paused. "The Ringmaster says I should keep trying, but... the girls are very talkative... it is very hard..."

"I see... Well, perhaps you are going about things the wrong way."

"Wrong?"

"Yes. By trying to take it all in at once, it's too much to force on you. Someone who has kept herself isolated and remains quiet." Shizuna leaned back in her chair. "Perhaps you need to start with someone more on your level."

"My level?"

"Yes. Let's look at it this way. When you started working with the Nightmare circus did you immediately jump over to the center stage? Of course not... There was no way you'd be ready for that. Prosopeio-san placed you in with smaller audiences. Why?"

"...I needed practice."

"Exactly. So, why not apply this to your current problem?"

"Shizuna-sensei wants me to... practice talking?" Zazie did little to hide her confusion. Though, she only got a smile in response.

"If you're having trouble speaking with the talkative members of your class then the simple answer would be..." Shizuna trailed off as the student looked thoughtful. She could see details lining up in the girl's mind until it became clear.

"To... to find someone quiet... like me."

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Negi stumbled out of classroom amidst the squeals of his students. Staff in hand, he caught his balance and began to sprint away with all the speed he could muster. He had been forced to sacrifice his jacket, but at least he had his freedom.

"Negi-kun!"

For the moment at least.

"Have to get away, have to get away." The mage scanned the hall looking for any way to lose his pursuers. He could already hear their footsteps gathering behind him. Wind magic gathered in his body, obeying the mage's will. His pace increased even further. He had to find some way out of these straight hallways. At a T-junction, he took a left and heard a light creak.A little ways up there was an open door. He hustled towards salvation, diving into the room and shutting the door in a panic. The word "Drama" was printed clearly across the door.

Moments later, the girls rounded the corner, compelled to find and molest their beloved teacher. Nothing immediately stood out until...

"There he is!" Makie pointed to the end of the hall where a figure appeared to be catching its breath. "Negi-sensei!" At the shout, he jumped a little and took off around the corner.

"He's so cute when he runs," Yuuna swooned before charging forward. With catcalls and giggles, the girls of 2-A under the sway of the Amoris potion took off after their prey rounding the corner and continuing on without stopping. A Negi-shaped shadow with a white mask melted out of the shaded area under a window. It bopped up and down from amusement before losing its form and disappearing to whence it came.

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The junior high drama club was not set to meet until later in the afternoon, but there were preparations that needed to be done. Usually, these fell to the most dependable member, as well as one that had the free time. It was these two factors that set Natsumi Murakami as the likely choice. In nearly all respects, Natsumi was an average girl, though in a class of unique and beautiful girls like 2-A instilled within her distinctly below average self-esteem.

And thus, the small sigh she allowed herself as she worked through the costumes for the next coming production was not unexpected. Eyes glanced over to the small pile of neatly printed scripts. She's worked very hard for the audition, and made a good enough impression to get a title role in Romeo and Juliet. Though it wasn't the role she was aiming for. "Romeo..." she grumbled. It was an honor enough to be sure but Juliet had been passed on to a girl with more 'fitting looks' even though she had qualified for the role. "Why do I always have to play the male parts?"

"Oh, will you shut up with that already?" The actress flinched under the harsh glare from the desk up front. Chisame Hasagawa shifted her glasses. "I may have agreed to fix the code on your website but that doesn't mean I have to put up with your constant moping."

"S-sorry, Hasegawa-san." Natsumi swallowed nervously, trying to focus on hanging the costumes. Chisame was not someone she normally associated with, but when the club's website got hacked she couldn't think of anyone else that could fix it.

Both girls returned to working in silence when the door creaked slightly. The actress looked up curiously, she was sure it had been closed. Before she could move to rectify the situation, their sensei scrambled through the door, bracing against it. His breaths came in hard pants.

"Natsumi-san, you have to hide me!" he pleaded.

The actress took in his appearance. His jacket was missing; his shirt was uneven; his hair was ruffled; and she could see faint lip-gloss marks on his neck and cheeks. He looked so desperate for help she could hardly turn him down.

"Um, r-right..." Her mind raced. She looked to Chisame to see if she had any suggestion, but all she got was a roll of the eyes before her classmate returned to work. "The closet!" She parted the costumes and motioned for him to head inside. Without a moment's hesitation, Negi rushed over and crouched down into the tight space. "You should be safe in here sensei," she said softly. As she moved the costumes back in place, she was unable to resist casting a sideways glance at him. He gave her a grateful smile that triggered warmth in her chest.

"Thank you so much, Natsumi-san... I owe you." He relaxed a little. Between the struggle and escape, he was glad to sit.

"D-don't mention it..." She blushed as the warmth grew. Since when did Negi have such an effect on her? Circumstances didn't let her mind wander too much. A clamor of voices could be heard outside.

"He must have doubled back on us."

"He probably ducked into one of the classrooms, he's so smart..." The door opened to the sight of at least 8 members of 2-A, all looking around expectantly.

"Negi-sensei!"

"Murakami-san, have you seen Negi-kun?" Konoka asked with a smile. "He's been a very naughty boy and run off," she giggled lightly.

Negi sat stock still. He didn't even allow himself to breathe.

It was hard for Natsumi to repress the urge to hug him; he looked so cute and vulnerable. She swallowed, torn between trying to give a coherent lie or succumb to the odd feelings.

"Natsumi?"

"Ahh, well..."

"Does it _look_ like he's here?" Chisame's voice pierced the tension; calm, logical, and perhaps a touch annoyed.

"I suppose not. Well, if you see him save some for us okay?" Yuuna gave a conspiratorial wink as the mob headed off, combing over the halls for their missing teacher. A heavy sigh of relief brought Natusmi's attention back to the closet. Her young teacher was peeking out from between the costumes.

"That was close... Thank you both, I was really in a jam." He chuckled lightly.

A smile coming to her lips and his chuckle were the last things Natsumi could clearly remember before it all became fuzzy.

"Glad to help, Sensei," she said with a small smile. "Though, considering they're still looking you probably shouldn't head out too soon."

"Oh..." Negi paled a little. Yes, they would no doubt be scouring the halls looking for him. "I suppose you have a point there."

"Well, if you're going to stay here anyway do you think you could help me practice?" she asked motioning to the pile of scripts. "There's been a scene I've been having trouble with." Always glad to help his students, Negi stood and plucked a book off the top.

"Ah, a classic. I wouldn't expect to see _Romeo and Juliet_."

"Well, it _is_ a classic sensei."

"Fair enough, I suppose." He chuckled, sweating a little as Natsumi watched him. Her demeanor was a bit different than usual. It was making him uneasy, considering the circumstances. "So what part was giving you trouble?"

"Act one, scene five... I need to work on my blocking," she said, walking over to him. Negi busied himself finding the section.

"Ah, here we go. So, who are you playing Natsumi-san?"

"I have the part of Romeo this year."

"Eh?"

"This is an all-girls school, so females play the male parts as well."

"Ohh, I suppose that makes sense." He glanced down the scene. "So, I'm playing..?"

"Juliet," she answered with a grin.

His bad feeling grew. He subtly took a step back. "A-ah, I see…" He forced a smile. He was distinctly sure that now that the potion was still working it's magic. Though, with the door locked, and a larger group searching the area, this was the lesser of two evils...

"Well, if I'm not mistaken my line is first."

"Yes... don't you want a script?"

"I've already memorized my lines, Sensei," she admitted with a little pride in her voice.

Despite his sense of impending doom, Negi was impressed.

"I've always loved this play," Natsumi added. She took another step forward, causing the boy in front of her to take another step back in response.

Negi watched, fascinated, while the young actress adjusted her posture and began to move differently, in a more masculine way. She was getting into character, he realized.

"If I insult you with my impure hand," she spoke eloquently, "my punishment is this. My lips, like blushing pilgrims, are ready to smooth my touch with a kiss."

Negi looked down to the script with a slight blush. This scene was going to be particularly dangerous, it seemed. "Don't insult your hand too much, pilgrim, it's just showing proper devotion." He tried to keep his voice steady when Natsumi moved to approach. He backed away, keeping one eye on the script and the other on the freckled young girl. "Saints' statues have hands that pilgrims can touch, and hand to hand is a proper holy kiss."

"Don't saints have lips, and their worshippers, too?" Natsumi's voice held clear amusement as she continued to press forward.

Negi shifted further back. "T-They do, but t-they're only used in prayer," he said, his reading marred by his nervousness.

"O then dear saint, let my lips kiss you. I beg you, let me kiss you, before my faith turns to despair." She spoke with a wry smirk as Negi felt the wall behind him.

"N-Natsumi-san, you aren't t-thinking clearly. Please ju-" He felt a finger against his lips. She shushed him softly. His heartbeat increased as she crouched closer.

"You really should stick to the script, Sensei," she whispered. Time slowed as Natsumi removed her finger and replaced it with her own lips. The boy tensed up and his brain sorted out, with only one thought passing though his mind, _Soft..._

Chisame couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her face tinged scarlet. Granted, she wouldn't put it past several of her classmates to try and seduce the little brat, but Natsumi Murakami of all people? It was unreal... This was like some trashy romance novel come to life.

Not that she read that garbage, of course...

"See? That wasn't so bad," she heard the actress purr as she kept the dazed boy pinned to the wall. "Perhaps we need a second take?" Chisame's eyes widened at seeing the girl lick her lips hungrily. What kind of sideshow was this?

_I feel like I'm witnessing a crime..._ Chisame cleared her throat loudly, catching mild attention from her classmate and to snapping her pathetic sensei out of his stupor. "I am here, you know? Get a frickin' room," she grumbled, unable to fully remove the blush from her face.

"Did you want to join in?"

"What?!" the undercover idol squeaked. In the confusion, Negi managed to slip away from the magically-affectionate girl. Unable to get to the door, he scampered over to the teacher's desk, keeping it between himself and Natsumi.

"N-Natsumi-san, you need to calm down. You're not acting like yourself!" he called out, ineffectually. The actress made her way toward himself and Chisame with an unworried expression.

"Y-yeah, get a hold of yourself!" Chisame chimed in. The girl was beginning to unnerve her. Why get all riled up over this little brat? Well... He was kinda cute with that ruffled hair... and those eyes. How could she have not noticed before?

"You're so cute when you play hard to get, Sensei," she commented, paying no attention to the shouts.

Negi swallowed, looking to the window. He was seriously considering jumping though it and flying off. Of course, his rational side told him that this wasn't something to be turned into an ermine over. But, the urge was still tempting. On the other side of desk, Natsumi looked to be debating which side to turn. Negi watched her carefully, ready to bolt for the door once she committed to a side.

"Sensei?" A light tap vied for his attention. A pair of glasses was placed down on the table in front of him.

"She's only after me, I'll slip out and you can go back to what you were doing." The young mage didn't dare to take his full attention off of the enthralled actress. A hand fell gently on his shoulder and a tickle on his cheek forced him to turn. He jumped a little, for a moment he thought his student had been replaced. The girl seated on the desk, sans glasses and with her hair undone, looked like a whole other person. When she spoke, it sent shivers down his spine.

"Actually," she drawled teasingly. "I was thinking of doing something... different." A finger trailed down his cheek, around to his chin."What about you, Sensei? Would you like to play?"

"C-Chisame-san?" He tried to back away but she already had a grip on him. He tugged harder and fell to the ground. His student fell with him. She hovered over him, their bodies close.

"No fair," he heard Natsumi whine playfully. "Save some for me," Above him, Chisame giggled lightly. The hacker leaned in closer to unbutton his shirt. What had he gotten himself into? He should have found somewhere more private to hide...

Like the library.

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"Damn it. Where could he have gone?" Asuna cursed as she searched the halls of the academic building. Judging by the amount of girls in the hallways, he was still inside. Unless he found some closet to lock himself in, the boy was likely up to his neck in trouble, as usual...

_Though, this one is my fault really..._ her conscience chimed in, being infuriatingly logical. All she'd wanted was to stop the bickering and get things back to normal. He just kept interrupting and insisting giving her the potion. She'd lost enough uniforms and good underwear to be justifiably wary of his magical solutions. If the current situation was any indicator, then she knew what would have happened if she was taken his little concoction. Negi and Takahata-sensei would have been stalking her like animals through the Mahora campus. But really, would she have run in such a situation? Her thoughts trailed away, bringing a bright flush to her face before she shook herself out of it. "Focus, I don't have time for daydreaming."

"Ah, there you are!" a voice called out. Asuna reacted immediately. She rushed in the direction of the call only to nearly run into Sakurako as she turned the corner. Both stopped, scanning the hall. "Aw, not again... I'm sure I saw him this time," the cheerleader pouted. The hallway was completely empty. Asuna sighed both relieved and annoyed, finding the boy was proving difficult but that meant no one had gotten a hand on him, yet. She watched the cheerleader continue her obsessive search but became curious.

How come she wasn't going gaga like the rest of them?

The thought was dropped as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. _Negi?_ Without a word, to keep from drawing the attention of the love zombies, she took off full speed, seeing the small form dash around a corner. "Why is he running from me too?" She turned the corner and slowed to a stop... it was empty. "No way."

"Negi -sensei!"

"There he is!"

"No, over here!"

"You can't escape!"

Calls came up from all directions; the boy teacher seemed to be everywhere at once. She glanced behind her in time to catch another glimpse of a boy turning a corner but did not pursue. Obviously, Negi was using some kind of spell to send girls all over creation chasing false leads.

"Maybe he's not as helpless as he acts all the time." Asuna felt a little dig at that; here she wanted to be the big hero. Maybe she wasn't really needed.

A distinctly male yelp shot that idea from her mind. A little ways back and somewhat muffled, but it had to be him. Fueled by concern, she headed back and found the door that was the origin of the shouts. Listening carefully, she could hear the laughter of more than one girl in addition to the protests. The knob turned, but clicked. It was locked. "Damn, damn, damn..." She glared at the door to the Drama room and clenched her fists. She was getting in that room. A quick look confirmed that she was alone in the hall. She dropped into stance. "I'm coming!" Baka Red summoned her strength and sent the door clear off the hinges with a mighty kick. The hapless piece of wood sailed across the room.

"A-Asuna-san?"

"Negi?" She scanned the room, blood pumping with adrenaline from her entrance. A nervous sweat grew across her forehead at surveying the damage. Negi was crouched against the wall and two pairs of legs stuck out from where the door had landed. There was a noticeable lack of movement "Oh, crap..."

She and Negi scrambled to confirm that the two were only unconscious. It took more than a second glance for Asuna to identify one of the girls as Chisame. She looked totally different when she let her hair down. Negi was all right to, for the most part. He looked the worse for wear, but seemed to have no physical injuries. Unless you counted the hickey. Leaving the girls to rest in a more comfortable position, they slipped out into the hall, hoping to get away before the hounds were attracted by the noise.

"We should find someplace safer to hide until this blows over."

"There shouldn't be any lasting effect once it wears off..." Negi agreed, sticking close to her side. She was relieved that he was safe; however, with the panic out of the way, her old insecurities began to return. The courage she'd gathered before this madness was long gone and now she began to fuss over what she could do... How could she come out and apologize simply after being so nasty? Why would he even want to come back? Did he even like the kiss, like she did? If she just blurted it all out she'd come off like some pathetic, nutty fan girl.

"Hm..."

"I can't believe even Hasegawa-san acted that way," Negi said. His hand slid up over the hickey on his neck. "I guess the love potion is stronger than I thought..." He chuckled nervously. "At least you were able to keep your wits about you, things could have been a lot worse."

Negi's words faded from her mind. There was an idea... The love potion... If she allowed her guard to slip now, maybe... maybe he'd write it off as the potion? She could say what she wanted and he would think it was the spell, just like with all the other girls. Even if he didn't believe her, then... then at least she could get it off her chest. But that was too simple, it couldn't be that easy. Could it? Asuna shook her head. She came back to in time to see Negi looking at her expectantly. She blinked.

"What?"

"I said, where do you think it's safe?" Negi's voice was clearly concerned. She thought long and hard before she came to her decision. She took his hand carefully and she smiled a little.

"I know just the place." With that, they took off. His concern only grew... that sudden smile seemed so out of place. Did Asuna... no, there was no way. She was too strong to fall under his spell.

Wasn't she?

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Zazie permitted herself the smallest sigh as she slipped out of the guidance counselor's office. They had covered a lot of topics today, several she wasn't greatly comfortable with. All attempts to conceal her classroom performance did not stop Shizuna from getting the news of her continued zoning out. After the lecture, questions turned back to her life and her sensei. The acrobat had intended to bridge the topic to what the Ringmaster had spoken of the night before. When the time came though, an uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach and she kept the questions to herself. The flutters were nice sometimes, but more often than not they were a hindrance. It was a wonder that talking to Negi-sensei was possible at all. Gathering herself, she headed out into the hall. She was an economy of movement heading straight back to the dorms.

At least, that was the plan... It was hard to move forward with someone standing in your way.

"Asakura-san."

"Ah, Zazie, just the girl I wanted to see." The reporter offered wide grin. "Are you free for a moment?"

"I have no current plans."

"Good, then walk with me," she directed with a motion of her arm. Zazie was reluctant at first, but moved into step after only a minor hesitation. Curiosity, her foremost reason. Kazumi said nothing at first, marveling at the lack of sound from her companion, even when she moved... It was admirable.

_I wonder if she spies on people in her free time. _

"Well, I know we don't talk much and until recently you were doing on hell of a job of avoiding notice. I thought I could put out the olive branch. I think I can help you out."

"Help?" Her expression hardly changed. Her countenance was so naturally blank that it made her hard to read. Kazumi pushed on, hoping she'd caught the girl's interest.

"I know the girls have been giving you a hard time lately, so I figured maybe I could be an intermediary for you... Take some of the pressure off, you know?" A foxy grin and a wink kept the tone light, trying to make Zazie comfortable. "You seemed uncomfortable when everyone comes up to you-"

"I'm fine." Her reply was fast and to the point cutting off the reporter's smooth dialog.

Kazumi recovered easily, chuckling it off. "Sure... You _say_ that, but it's not like I can't see." The argument was met with silence. A lesser girl would have gotten frustrated, but Kazumi felt she was on the right path. "There's nothing wrong with enjoying your situation... many girls would kill to be in your position," she pressed lightly. The reporter appeared nonchalant, but her attention was on Zazie, looking for some manner of cues on her thoughts.

The quiet girl gave the slightest nod of acknowledgment. Though, it was hard for Kazumi to tell which statement she was acknowledging. This girl was a real challenge. If she hadn't spotted the light blushing back in class, she'd have doubted her theory by now. Kazumi shrugged casually, covering up her mental processes.

"Seems you're not up for it, but if you ever want to take me up on the offer, or just chat, my ear is open."

"...Mm," the girl replied with a small noise and nod.

It was a start. Now, for round two.

"Eh, Zazie, I was wondering if you could help me out with something." She turned to face her classmate, glad to see she had her full attention. Not much of a talker but she seemed to be a good listener. "I've always been curious about the Nightmare Circus. I heard you only perform a few weeks out of the year but I _also_ heard that if you're an invited guest you can visit the practice." She put on her best smile. Zazie held her eyes with a neutral gaze.

"I can only invite one."

"That's not a problem, I wasn't going to bring anyone."

"Taken..."

"What?" Kazumi blinked, trying to understand what she meant. "You mean, you going to invite Negi-sensei again?"

The acrobat turned her eyes away for a moment before bringing them back. "I never said I invited Negi-sensei before." It felt like an accusation, despite the lack of expression.

"Ah..." _busted._ She chuckled nervously at the hint of a frown that grew on Zazie's face. "I heard you talking about it in class and..." Kazumi trailed off, noting that Zazie's attention was fully drawn elsewhere. She followed the girl's line of sight seeing the reason clear as day. Asuna was sprinting down the hall with Negi in hand. The poor boy was haggard, his jacket was missing and his shirt had seen better days. "Asuna... Hmm, I wonder what that's about." In a sudden burst of activity, Zazie took off with surprising speed, completely catching the reporter off guard. "H-hey, wait up." Kazumi, hardly the most athletic girl in class, did her best to pick up ground. She deftly retrieved the digital camera from her bag. This was going to get good.

Zazie was of a different mind. Asuna had been somewhat nasty as of late but that image looked downright abusive. The performer always made a point to observe things carefully and not jumping to conclusions, but the fluttering in her stomach spurred her into a much more impulsive action. If Negi needed help, no chances could be taken.

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Asuna had her goal set. She wasn't the most active member but she knew the Art club would not be meeting today. It would give them the necessary privacy to do what she needed to do.

Negi was worried. This was the last thing she wanted to happen. The fighting had been rough to deal with, but to see Asuna fall under the effects of the love potion Natsumi and the others... His cheeks colored at the thought. It was all too much to take, he wasn't sure how much more he could stand.

Reaching their destination, Asuna slid the door open and ducked inside, pulling Negi along. "We should be safe in here, no club meetings today," she explained. The door was locked with a click.

"Yeah... safe…" Negi replied with trepidation. Easels stood, all facing a small platform. Messy piles of supplies littered tables near the back. The opening to the supplies closet lay ajar.

"Negi..."

The boy turned towards the voice. Asuna was leaned against the door. Her gaze was to the ground, body tensed.

"I..." She stalled. Taking a deep breath, she gathered herself. "I want to talk to you." She brought her eyes up, face rosy. "First off, I want to... apologize," she began slowly. "Things have been so screwed up lately and... well, it wasn't right of me to keep taking it out on you. So, yeah... I'm sorry," she muttered, confidence building.

Negi felt a weight lift from his shoulders at her words. He'd wanted to hear something like that for days. "Asuna-san... You don't have to apologize, I-"

"No, you were innocent in this. I... I was just looking for some way to deflect things away from myself, and that was stupid of me." She scuffed her foot on the floor. "The room hasn't been the same without you. Konoka hasn't been too pleased with me either... I've missed you... a lot more than I thought I would." Her rambling paused as she straightened herself up and approached the mage. _If I try to kiss him, he'll be sure it's the potion...It's just to keep him from realizing. That's all..._ She affirmed her denial, ignoring the growing thrill at the thought of it. She could see the growing apprehension on his face. Her plan was working. "All this over a kiss... but I guess it wasn't that bad, really," she admitted, highlighting her blush.

"Asuna-san?" Negi's previously lightened heart dropped. Obviously, she had cared enough to go looking and help him out, but ever since the run it was all because of the potion. It figured... There was hope, though. Asuna knew about the potion, perhaps he could reason with her.

"Though, it was an accident and kind of rushed... Maybe I can do a better job." Asuna could barely believe she got that out. She smiled as she moved closer, he was definitely buying it.

Outside the door, Zazie paused. She could hear the voices, but the words were incomprehensible. Part of her was frustrated she hadn't been able to catch up, but another part was proud to keep up. Asuna was a better all-around athlete than Zazie. The proof was her hard breathing, but she concluded that she was at least above average, eyeing Kazumi who was just reaching the door with labored breaths. Her hand reached out towards the door but was stopped by a touch from the reporter. Flinching at the contact, she gave the girl a pointed stare.

Kazumi motioned for silence. She lightly checked the door, finding it locked. No real surprise there. Instead of looking for something to force it open, she opened up her bag. A curious Zazie looked over her shoulder while rooted around it. After a moment, she pulled out a pair of small bent wires.

"Just a sec," she whispered, crouching by the door and carefully working on the lock.

Zazie gave a confused frown at this. What was she up to?

"A-Asuna-san." A louder cry came from Negi, catching the performer's immediate attention. She fidgeted some, leaning against the door. The voices came clearer.

"There's no need to run, you can't go anywhere."

"Asuna-san, you're not thinking clearly."

"...No... I'm sure this is what I want to do," Asuna replied after a moment. Footsteps moved about rapidly. "Got you!"

"Asuna, let go! You shouldn't do this, I-"

"Stop squirming already."

Unease crept into Zazie's heart. It thumped thunderously in her chest. She pulled herself away, looking for another way into the room.

"Just a second..." Kazumi admonished still working on the lock. She couldn't hear Zazie pacing, but she was sure the girl was wearing a track in the floor. There was an audible click as the tumblers fell into place. The reporter slid the door open, immediately reaching for her camera. This was a better shot than the last time. Negi was seated, back against the wall. Asuna was on her knees, one hand clasped with his, the other on the side of his face. Both blushing faces were inches apart. They turned to the door in time for the flash to go off. A priceless photo. "My, my, is it hot in here?" Kazumi teased. She was about to take another picture when Zazie stepped in frame. The tan girl approached the pair on the floor at a brisk pace. Sensing conflict, Kazumi backed up and switched her camera to record video. This was going to be interesting...

"R-Rainyday-san?" Negi swallowed. This was turning into one messed up day. Not to mention there was another picture like this. Some peace offering this turned out to be...

Asuna stood abruptly, red-faced and panicked."T-This isn't... I mean, I know this looks like..." She was sure that she had locked the door. Sure, Negi could be convinced that a love potion was at work, but with a photo... This looked really bad. She was focused on the smirking Asakura, she almost missed Zazie until the acrobat tried to push her away from Negi. Compared to Zazie, she was much sturdier and was only pushed back a few steps. "Hey! What was that about?!" Asuna frowned.

Zazie ignored her protests, pulling Negi closer. She looked over the boy for injuries. Her gaze lingered on the hickey before whipping over to Asuna, enflamed. "You... hurt sensei..."

The comment had little force little, but the look that accompanied it was what held Asuna's tongue. The quiet performer's eyes were glowing red. She tried to muster a reply, but that unearthly glare left her without any manner of coherency... Just what was she?

"Rainyday-san, it isn't like that,"

Negi's defense of Asuna caught Zazie's attention. The red faded from her eyes... and grew in her cheeks. She turned to look to the boy. "...Negi..." Zazie held the boy closer, a hand resting on his head.

_This isn't good... _

"Zazie, You need-"

As if realizing there were other people in the room, she looked up sharply. Glancing between a puzzled Kazumi and concerned Asuna, she quickly pulled Negi to the supply closet.

"Zazie! Wait!" Asuna rushed after them, only to run into the door. She shook away the daze before pounding on the sturdy door. There was no answer. "Zazie, open up! Zazie! Damn it..."

"This is unreal..." Asakura continued to record the action from a safe distance. The sound of a window opening was clearly heard by both girls.

"She can't seriously be..." They both ran to the window to see a pair slipping off into the bushes. Asuna cursed lightly. She pulled open the window and jumped out, taking pursuit.

Kazumi turned off the recorder and shook her head. "This is one heck of a strange triangle..." She frowned, glancing at her camera. "I'm definitely missing something here." She slipped it back into her bag and headed out for the dorms. Her notes needed another look over.

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Negi let himself be dragged towards the closet. The door slammed behind them and three things happened in rapid succession. First, an easel was wedged into the door. Then, it shook as something impacted against the wood. Lastly, he could hear someone pounding a fist on the other side.

"Zazie, open up! Zazie! Damn it..." It was Asuna.

Zazie pulled him to the far side of the shaking door. She held him tightly against her chest. Negi was about to speak up, but stalled when faces formed out of the darkness. No... Not faces... Masks, attached to formless shadows.

He heard Zazie's soft voice from behind him. "Two, run, distraction."

Astounded, Negi watched two of the masks bob in place, as if bowing, before separating from the darkness. "...No way..." The amorphous shadows shifted to the shape of Zazie and himself. The shadow-Zazie dragged the shadow-Negi by the hand and undid the window release. They both stole out of the opening.

The boy mage stared at the open window, mildly disturbed. He barely registered Zazie declaring his safety. "...Rainyday-san... What were those things?" he asked in a shaky voice. Zazie's reply was only a light squeeze. He waited for a proper answer, but Zazie just held him tighter. "Rainyday-san, I'm not sur-" A few droplets hit the back of his neck. "What the..?" Another, and then another. He could feel the girl shaking behind him. It was almost like, "Tears?"

"I'm sorry..." The normally calm tone he associated with the girl was tremulous and unsure. It seemed impossible, but... Zazie Rainyday was... crying...

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The door closed and locked, Zazie quickly scanned the room for some measure of insurance. In a flash of ingenuity, she jammed the door shut with folded easel.Seconds later, there was thudding impact against the door. A beat later, Asuna started pounding on it. The acrobat looked for some other preventative.

"Zazie, open up! Zazie! Damn it..."

Zazie's gaze flitted about the room more furitively, spurred by Asuna's voice. Her eyes fell to the corner, drawn by the thickening shadows. White masks melted in from the darkness. Zazie turned to the shadows. "Two, run, distraction," she whispered. Two of masks bowed and did as commanded.

Zazie only gave them a momentary glance before turning her attention back to her teacher. "You're safe now," she murmured softly, enjoying holding the boy. It all felt so nice; she'd held him at night, but he had always come to her. Today, something was urging her on. The light flutter had turned into a fire and, even as she held him, she felt warmer than she had in some time...

"...Rainyday-san... What were those things?" Negi asked in a shaky voice. She barely heard it. Instead, she gave him a light squeeze. The urging continued, every fiber of her being was pushing her to do something... but what was she supposed to do? Negi was here... right here, in her arms, but she was supposed to do more. What more could she do? She held him tighter trying to make the feeling go away, but it only grew. Her chest grew tight and an unfamiliar wetness blurred her eyes. She shut them tight, trying to stem the flow of tears.

"Rainyday-san, I'm not sur-"

She felt a few droplets run from her face and drip onto his neck.

"What the..?"

Another tear fell, then another. Zazie began to shake as the overwhelming feelings urged more and more to do... she didn't know what. What was wrong with her?

"Tears?"

"I'm sorry..." Her voice was marred by her quivering and uncertainty. She squeezed him again. "I'm sorry..." She didn't know to whom she was apologizing, or why, but she would do anything to ease the pressure looming over her. The boy shifted in her grasp. Panicked, she held him even tighter. _You can't let go! _her body screamed at her. She just held on, sniffling.

"Rainyday-san..." Negi's voice sounded far away, sending shivers down her spine. "Why are you apologizing?" his tone was calm and patient.

The words tumbled free from Zazie's mouth with hardly a thought, a far cry from her usual clipped and precise mode of speech. "I... I don't know..." she whispered. "I...I feel like I'm supposed to do something... I want to do something... b-but... but I don't know what," she choked out. "I don't know... Sensei, w-what's wrong with me?" She rested her forehead against the back of the boy's neck.

_Is... Is she resisting the spell?_ Negi allowed himself a small moment of hopeful awe but, as he felt her shaking form, it was swiftly replaced with guilt. Resisting or not, the girl was in total distress over the induced emotions. He placed his hand over hers, which clung tightly to his tattered shirt, and said her name. She froze. "It's okay..." He couldn't think of anything else to say.

Negi's words blew down what was left of Zazie's emotional barriers. With a choked sob, she cried freely into his back. Despite his shock from the sudden flood of emotion, Negi reached out to comfort her. She held on to him tightly, like a life preserver in middle of a stormy ocean. His experience with girls was limited at best and he was unsure how to handle her reaction.

Negi was unsure of how much time passed before Zazie's tears slowed and her sobs quieted. Sighing in relief, he turned as best he could in her slightly looser grip to get a look at her. "Zazie-san, are you okay?" he asked, receiving no response. Her head lolled forward onto his shoulder and, in the stillness of the room, he could hear (and feel) her slow and even breaths. He sweated a little. "She's asleep?"

He shot a nervous glance at the door. The scene made a very bad image if someone were to find them. It was a situation he was stumbling into far too often lately. "I should get back to the room," he muttered. With a flushed face, he shifted his hands and stood. His posture was awkward with the sleeping girl draped over his back. "She's lighter than I expected..." he noted, before shaking his head. This was hardly the time for such thoughts. It was bad enough where he had to put his ha- ...not the time.

Trying to clear his mind, he moved to unblock the door and came face to face with a white mask. He stared for a long moment before he opened his mouth to scream. A black tendril immediately smothered it. A second tendril made a shushing motion in front of its unmoving mouth.

"S-sorry..." he mumbled reflexively, taking in the sight of several more masks forming out of the darkness. The memory from earlier came back to him, making it easier to hold his ground. "You are Zazie-san's..." He searched for an appropriate word. "...friends?" The creatures looked to each other before the lead shadow nodded. "I see..." He could hardly believe he was talking to these things, whatever they were. "I wanted to take her back to our room. But things are a bit complicated."

The fledgling mage watched in wonder as the several white masks floated together bobbing, weaving, and having some manner of conference without making a sound. The lead mask turned back and nodded. The masks floated away from the door to a blank part of the wall. Slowly, they began to fade and left them alone.

"What? I thought they were going to at least move the easel," he groused. As soon as the words left his mouth, he could feel power building at the wall. Shadows swirled into some manner of vortex. Negi took a step back, but found that he was being pushed forward. He glanced back to see three masks. Formless limbs drove him towards the portal. "W-what are you doing?" he asked in alarm. He tried to gain traction on the floor, but kept moving steadily towards the dark gateway. The last thing he saw before the pair was swallowed up by the darkness.

Without a sound, all the shadow creatures faded, leaving the closet empty.

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All across the campus academic building, girls from 2-A blinked, heads in a daze. They looked around confused and disoriented with jumbled memories. They couldn't recall how they ended up where they were. Nor did they realize how much time was missing…

Natsumi and Chisame awoke with great headaches. The room was a mess and the door was leaning against the wall, taken clear off its hinges.

"…Um, Hasagawa-san…"

"I don't think I want to know…" the computer specialist muttered, slowly getting to her feet. She blinked at her classmate, who was staring at her.

"What?"

"You look different without your glasses… and, with your hair down, you look a lot like those models in the magazines." Natsumi's compliment made her reach up to confirm. She was indeed without her glasses. There was a moment of panic as she looked around, only to see them resting on the desktop, folded and unmarked.

"I… I don't remember taking those off." Chisame was a girl who always in control. The missing time worried her greatly. To take off her glasses and undo her hair outside of her room... She stuffed down her concern and quickly donned her glasses once more. Reaching back, she did up her hair with practiced ease. "You better not tell anyone."

"Huh? But, I don't understand, wh-"

"Just don't!" she snapped.

The actress was cowed immediately. "O-Okay… Sorry." The hacker wasn't nearly as scary as Chizu-nee could be, but Chisame had her moments. But, it didn't make sense... Why pretend to be ordinary? If she could look that amazing, Natsumi knew she'd never hide it. So... She sighed lightly, depressing thoughts did little to help the fuzziness in her head. Getting back to her feet, she gasped. "No! It ripped…" She looked at the sleeve of her Romeo costume in dismay. "The others are going to kill me. What do I do? What do I do?" The actress's mind went into overdrive. Chizu-nee could fix it, but, with how busy the girl was, it would be too late to return it before the cast noticed.

"Give it."

"Hmm?" She looked up to see Chisame, hand extended.

"I'll fix it. It's not that big a tear, yet. But if you keep running around, it's going to get worse."

"Really?"

"Yes," the girl sighed. "Look, I'll drop it off later tonight. As long as you don't tell any of the others about what happened, I'll call it even." Her eyes narrowed, determined to keep her anonymity. Silence stretched for a moment before she ground out, "well?"

"Okay!" Natsumi quickly removed the outer coat. "Thank you so much." She smiled, handing the piece over. Her classmate only grunted in return before she headed out into the hall. Maybe she wasn't such a bad person?

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Negi stumbled when his feet hit solid ground again, nearly toppling with the girl on his back. "Hey, that wasn't very... nice?" He took in his new surroundings... their dorm room. "Oh..." He blinked, looking back to see a few masks watching him closely. He swallowed his nervousness and moved over to the bed. With some maneuvering, he managed to lay Zazie down.

Satisfied, the masks began to fade away once more.

Negi turned and gave them a bow. "Thank you, Shadow-san."

They paused, halfway between visible and transparent, considering the boy before bowing in return and winking out of sight.

Room empty, save for the sleeping Zazie, Negi laid down on the floor and stared at the ceiling. Right then and there, he promised himself:

No more love potions...

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Asuna sat dejected in a local café. The pair she had chased had been a fake. She'd been fooled. By the time she got back to the classroom, it was empty. "But, why would Negi send a fake out the window, I mean…" She caught herself as it clicked into place. Negi didn't create those fakes. "Then, Zazie?" It made sense; she was looking out for the kid before the potion got her. A vision of glowing red eyes sent a chill down her spine. That gaze filled her with fear and an urge to get away... Was Zazie a mage? Or was she something else?

"Negi... I hope you're all right," she whispered, clenching her hand. She had to get him to come back. Time was ticking and Finals were approaching. She was running out of time.

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It took time for the recent madness to set in. At the very least, he was sure that the 'forget' aspect of the potion should be active, which was a load off his mind. Though with some girls, he was unsure if he would be able to look them in the eyes any time soon. He lightly rubbed the bite marks on his neck with a burning blush. Healing spells was hardly a specialty of his, but he was adept enough to remove the marks. Memories forgotten or not, there was no need to leave any marks or reminders.

When his mind calmed, a more serious thought came to mind. His gaze turned to the bed, where Zazie slept. It seemed his roommate was more then she appeared. Granted, he had learned by now that she bore many quirks, but her connection with those shadows was a step above. The strange thing was that she didn't 'summon' them. She hadn't gathered any magic, and even now his senses were not reading her as anything above the minor tremor of magic that always flowed through Mahora. So, the shadows were from this world and she held some manner of sway over them. They held at least some intelligence and were capable of independent action, which supported the theory that they were working for Zazie, rather than being controlled by her.

"Should I ask her?" That was the dilemma. It would get the most direct answer. Judging by past conversations, she tended to be quite straightforward and logical. But how would he explain having seen them? She was keeping them a secret; it was only to protect him that she brought them out. Which was touching, in its own way.

"Would she remember?" He fretted at the thought; he wanted to put this day behind him. Everyone he ran into seemed to get affected, so, if things went right, no one should remember anything. But he would be lying if he thought it was a guaranteed safety.

With a sigh, he put those issues aside. He took the opportunity to change out of his 'battle worn' outfit. He must have had to fight off half the class. He shucked the outfit and redressed in more comfortable, lounging clothes. "Hmm... I might have to go shopping for more, considering how long this task is supposed to take." A light moan caught brought his attention to the bed where his roommate had finally sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Sensei?"

"Ah, you're finally awake." Negi gave a warm smile. He had decided, at least for now, to keep things under wraps. From her puzzled look, she had forgotten the entire ordeal.

"I don't remember falling asleep." She had a light frown. It was hard to think straight, her mind was so fuzzy. "I was... looking for you," she said after a moment. It was her last clear memory. "...I think."

To his credit, Negi managed to keep any panic hidden away. "You were? I guess you must have taken a break. When I got back, you were sleeping."

"Ah." Zazie nodded slightly, but was unsure. Before she could give much thought to his cover story, he moved the topic along.

"So, your time with Shizuna-san went well?"

Zazie nodded before her eyes opened. She stood and went over to the closet, opening it. Crouching down, she began to sift through the boxes.

"What are you looking for, Rainyday-san?" He returned to using her family name with the drama over. Besides, suddenly using her first name might set off alarm bells. Zazie glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Special assignment," was her simple response. She turned, going back to looking.

Now, Negi's curiosity was piqued. The boy inched over, trying to get a clear look at her search.

Pulling out a small box buried in the back, she nodded before opening it up. It was full of stuffed dolls. Very familiar looking dolls. There was one of each girl in his class.

"Oh." He moved closer. He noted the detail on the chibi representations. "They're cute." The acrobat paused and looked back at him. She apparently realized how close he was, and whirled back to the box immediately. Both roommates were left with a slight flush. "Um, did you make all these yourself?" he ventured.

Zazie affirmed his guess with a nod. She placed them out, searching for a specific one.

"Hmm... How come there isn't one of you?" he continued to question the quiet girl. He noted her blink of puzzlement.

"Why?"

"Um, you know... so there would be a whole set." Negi began to wonder why she would make dolls of all the girls and keep them hidden away in a box. _Voodoo?_ He felt a chill at the stray thought. A mental picture of Zazie in a candlelit room, with shadows looming, danced through his mind. In his head, she held a pin over a doll of Asuna, ready to strike. He shook the image free. Zazie wouldn't do something like that.

"Presents."

"Huh?"

"They are presents," she clarified. Negi irrationally hoped she hadn't read his mind in that moment.

"Oh, how thoughtful of you." He threw a warm smile her way. He looked over the dolls. Many appeared to be older than the others, left untouched. "But why do you have them hidden in the closet then?" He watched her tilt her head down, fingering the plushy in her hand. Negi was starting to learn the girl spoke with gestures and silence. One had to listen with their eyes to 'hear' what she was saying. "You were uncomfortable giving them?"

A small nod.

"I see." The boy mage should have expected that was the case. It seemed the girl was lonelier than she showed. But he'd had already began to suspect that from their time together. Being accustomed to being alone and enjoying it were two very different things. "So, you're going to try?"

There was some hesitation, but she still nodded. "Just one."

"It's a start," he replied brightly. However, the one she placed aside was curious. He wasn't sure he recognized it. Zazie returned the plushies from whence they came and pushed the box back in its place. He looked at the chosen doll. "I'm sure she'll accept it just fine... Is she in our class?" He was unsure, she looked familiar but it definitely wasn't any of the usual suspects. Then again, considering his original perception of Zazie, it could be that the girl just escaped his notice.

"Yes." Zazie plucked the homemade present from the teacher and put on her shoes. "I will be back soon," she said, carefully placing the gift in a bag.

Negi nodded with a small smile on his lips. "Good luck, Rainyday-san."

"Thank you."

The door shut, leaving the dorm room in silence. Negi yawned and began to prepare for bed… It was early, but he was too worn out to care. He'd be able to check things out in the morning. Right now, the one thing he needed more than anything was rest. Pondering the continued mysteries of his roommate could wait until tomorrow.

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It was growing dark in the academy building. The students and staff had returned to their dorms, leaving one sole occupant hovering in room 2-A.

Sayo Aisaka was an atypical spirit. She was quiet and shy; she tended to trip despite lacking feet; and she was the only person that she was able to scare. For 60 years, she roamed the Mahora campus, ignored and lonely. She always felt attracted to her seat in homeroom. Being unable to leave Mahora, it was like a home base in which to return. Unfortunately, when night fell her normally comforting classroom tended to be quite scary. Moonlight shadows played on the wall; strange creaks and whistles of wind rattled her nerves. She could rarely stay more than a couple of hours before she sought out a convenience store or some other all-nighter business. (Her favorite being the Maggy convenience store.)Being around the living kept the boogey man away, in her opinion.

It was coming close to the point where she was reaching her limit when she heard a very unusual sound. With a squeak, she turned to see the darkness swirling. She floated back, closing her eyes. "It's not real. It's not real. It's not real." She chanted in a panic. She cracked one eye open slowly and saw… nothing. She sighed, slumping a little. "Ooh… that was scary," she whimpered. She'd reached her wits' end for the night. Or so she thought.

"I'm sorry."

"Ahh!" The ghost jumped at voice coming from beside her. She hid under her desk, peeking out to see one of her classmates crouched down in front of her. They stared at each other. Sayo; scared and confused, Zazie; a total blank. "Um… H-Hello?" she greeted awkwardly, face red from the intense stare… no one ever stared.

"Hello."

"You... you can see me?" It was a stupid question, she knew, but it was hard to swallow.

The strange girl merely nodded in reply. She seemed unparsed interacting with a ghost. That simple clarification raised Sayo's spirits greatly.

"How long?"

"Always." Zazie blinked as the spirit slumped forward before looking back up.

"Then how come you never said anything?!" Sayo calmed a little when her classmate turned her silent gaze away. The spirit rubbed away some spectral tears. "I'm sorry... I... I was just very lonely." She hovered apprehensively. The last thing she wanted was to scare away someone who could see her. She looked up to see... herself. Well, a smaller version, at least. "Eh?" Her gaze moved back to Zazie, who was still turned away. "F-For me?"

"A present."

"Thank you." Sayo's voice was soft as she reached out and took the little doll. A chibi version of herself, in her old school uniform. She hugged it to her chest. "It's very cute," she complimented. Her pale cheeks gaining a rosy hue.

"You like it?" The girl's calm tone held a note of hesitation.

Sayo nodded. "I love it."

"...I'm glad..."

Both girls held one another's gazes once more. Both pairs of red eyes bridged the two together. Sayo smiled bigger then she had in some time and Zazie gained an ever so slight one of her own.

It was a start.

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Shizuna sat in her apartment, dressed casually, fingering the cord of her phone. "Ah, Yes. Good evening Prosopeio-san." The guidance counselor smiled a little. There was a long pause to allow for a rather lengthy greeting. "I am doing well, though a few projects of mine are moving in unexpected directions... Yes, I have spoken with Zazie. I trust you have as well." She nodded. "That's what I was thinking... when would be a good time for you?" She leaned back in her chair, idly playing with the cord.

"Breakfast at nine, the usual place. I should be able to swing that." A small smile bloomed on her face. "It's a date," she said playfully. Listening to the reply, she laughed softly. "Flatterer... All right, until then. Good night." She hung up and stared up to the ceiling for a moment before she setting off to change for bed, unaware of the small smile still on her face as she moved about.

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Asakura leaned back in her desk chair, going over her most recent video. It was late, but the whole debacle was too interesting to pass up, leaving her too wired for sleep. There seemed to be some manner of triangle going on between Asuna, Zazie, and Negi... Judging from Negi's appearance, it looked like Asuna really was aggressive in pursuing. "'Absence makes the heart grow fonder,'" she quoted wryly as the video moved on. Zazie walked into the scene, back to the camera but her trained eye caught her tensing shoulders. It seemed the unflappable Zazie Rainyday had some emotions to her. "Wow... Asuna really looks intimidated. Hmm?"

Kazumi paused and rewound, leaning forward to get a closer look. "There's something there..." Her finger flipped through viewing options. She zoomed in on the window and enhancing the blurry image. "Just a little..." She choked at the picture when it cleared.

"...What..." The reflection in the window behind Asuna captured an image of Zazie with a burning glare. Her eyes literally glowed with malice. Inhuman. "What the hell am I seeing?" Asakura didn't know what to make of it... but it was one hell of a scoop.

To be continued

AN – A very different love potion. As you can see the major players are different, you can expect to see much more Natusmi and Chisame in the future. Asakura and Asuna have proff of Zazie's otherworldly traits but what could that mean? At least she's made a new friend in Sayo (I do love that cute ghost girl) and that is a connection she's going to need.

New moons bring an unexpected problem that greatly effects Zazie, Library island takes a new turn and the Asuna/Zazie confrontation meets a rather dramatic head.


	4. Chapter 4

_**It's Always the Quiet Ones**_

by Ryoga's best friend

AN – And so I return after a long hiatus. I'm really touched at the amount of people who were waiting for this story. I got many pms among those reviews, all really hoping I wouldn't let the fic die. It's cool to see how much people are enjoying it and despite my long silence I have been working bits and pieces on it and other fics. But really Thank you, all of you for your support. I really Appreciate it.

A big thanks to Windfalcon who edited this chapter for me as well as helped me write the prosopeio scenes. Anyway on with the show!

**Chapter 4**

After that first crazy week of Negi and Zazie's rooming situation things calmed down somewhat. They were hardly 'back to normal' for either but it had improved. Asuna seemed to be on speaking terms once more but there'd been no formal offer to come back to the room, her more subtle asking having completely missed the mark... even a child prodigy could be stupid after all. Zazie hadn't been hounded as bad, Haruna seemed to be biding her time and Kazumi seemed to be keeping her distance for some reason. If there was any buzz it had to do with a rather mysterious plushie that had appeared in seat one... Even if moved it would be right back on the seat come class time. Though cute it had been weirding some of the more skittish girls out. The local Miko, Mana, had confirmed that there was no evidence of spirits in the stuffed doll... but she promised to look into it.

Though with a 'challenge' from the headmaster the days leading up to the finals would be eventful to say the least. Negi awoke to a familiar warmth; his slowly waking mind cursed his sleepwalking. He could feel the weak hold of his roommate, her arms wrapped around him just as his was around her. He carefully opened one eye and was grateful to see a nightshirt barring view of her usually naked form. Despite her words in the past of not dressing for sleep since it was pointless she had taken to wearing a nightshirt to bed. She never gave a reason for the change, but for what ever reason it made waking up a bit easier. He shifted a bit to slip out of bed only to find himself being pulled back, her hug tightening. While far from 'well endowed' Negi could feel the unmistakable cushion of breasts as his face was pressed into her chest.

Fortunately it was for only a moment as Zazie gave a whisper of a yawn. She loosened her hold, passing a sleepy gaze to the blushing boy in her arms. "Good morning Sensei." her voice was softer and she still looked very tired. Normally the girl was quite the morning person, able to just 'be awake' the instant she opened her eyes.

"Um, Good Morning Rainyday-san." he replied with a light tremor of nervousness. Though it started to ebb as he took in her appearance. She looked pale, even her facial markings shared a lighter shade. "Are you okay? You don't look so well..."

The girl's eyes traveled to a small calendar by the bed frowning lightly before snuggling back into her pillow with a soft grunt. "No good... stay in bed."

"Your not feeling good... oh man and I have a staff meeting this afternoon. Afterwards I'll come back and take care of you in the evening." he offered surprised to feel her tense up.

"No." her reply was much faster then expected.

"I insist, I don't get sick easily. I Just-"

"No..." She replied, though now with a measure of reluctance. "Short sickness... Just need rest," she explained softly. "Asuna-san and Konoka-san... stay with them." she paused; he could feel a light tremor in her body. "...Just for tonight..."

"Well... if your sure." The child teacher was getting concerned at Zazie's odd behavior. There was something else to it, but he didn't press and both feel into silence. After several minutes passed Negi spoke up. "Um Rainyday-san... I do need to get up... I have to teach."

The girl blinked and let go... apparently she had forgotten. "I apologize."

"Ha ha, it's okay Rainyday-san." Negi slipped out from the covers and grasp of his roommate into a much cooler room. He watched her snuggle closer in the blankets as he went about the room doing dressing and preparing his notes for class. He packed a little extra for his now apparent sleep over back in his old room. Shouldering the bulking pack he turned to the bed, Zazie had barely moved from her sleeping position. "Sleep Well Zazie-san... I'll check in on you in the morning okay?"

A hand peeked out of the bundle of blankets and gave a thumbs up... such a curious girl. Negi slipped on his shoes and took his leave. After she was sure she was alone Zazie slipped out of bed, her hair out of place and nightshirt hanging crookedly on her form. She shuffled over to the closet and looked into the full-length mirror. Lightly touching the familiar marks on her face, they were fading even as she watched them.

From all corners of the room masked shadows phased into existence. Zazie made no move to acknowledge them as they gathered, a dozen or so looming about in a semi circle. A small sigh escaped her lips as she turned scanning over the unchanging masks. "I know..." she answered the silent question. "I'm ready." she turned her eyes downward as the shadows moved in from all sides, enveloping her form as the room darkened into black.

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The turn of events had been quite a surprise for Asuna. Despite all that transpired her biggest obstacle had recommended Negi visit and even spend the night. It had taken a good bit of will power to not jump at the offer but the smile he gave at her agreement to the stay did bring one of her own to the surface. These afternoon study sessions had done a good deal of work toward settling things between herself and the teacher though unfortunately weren't making the proper progress to getting far in actual studying... they were the baka rangers for a reason. Though Yue, the baka leader, professed to have a plan but that meeting would not be until tomorrow evening when she had gotten to check her sources. For now she found herself heading to a place she had never planned to venture.

"It's just a quick stop to see if she needs anything."

"She said she wanted to be left alone right?" she muttered, sometimes he could be so thick. "She likely wants some privacy."

"But Asuna-san..." she faltered a bit at his sorrowful look. He really did care for all members of his class. If the situations were reversed she honestly could picture him coming her way even if she professed the same reason. istubborn kid.../i

"Fine fine, it's not like it's a far distance to travel I guess." Just a ways down the hall after all.

"Thanks Asuna-san!" he smiled brightly, "I'm sure she'd be happy if a classmate came to see her."

"Uh... I don't think I'm the best representative in that regard." She muttered remembering the burning red glare quite clearly.

"Huh? I don't think that's the case," the child teacher stated calmly as they strolled down the dorm hallway. "Rainyday-san looks up to you."

"Eh?" Asuna's steps faltered a bit. "She does?"

"Yes." Negi nodded, "She's a very quiet girl but I believe she admires the more outgoing members of the class. Your very open and friendly with much of the class, something she wishes to be."

"Oh." the redhead hadn't thought much about her 'rivals' motivations or admittedly not in a positive light. "She told you that?"

"Not exactly, but I guess you could say I've gotten better at reading her." he scratched the side of his head chuckling a little bit. "She doesn't talk a lot, even after she warms up to you you just have to learn to read her to find out what she's saying."

"Really...hm." the pair fell into silence the last few moments until arriving at the door.

"I'll just peek in to see if she's sleeping." Negi whispered lightly turning the key opening the door enough to poke his head in.

"Looks dark in there." Asuna muttered. The child teacher tensed up. "What?"

"Something's not right." with hardly another word Negi entered, shifting the staff from his back.

"Negi?" Asuna followed in a step behind, the room was pitch black. A blurry figure could be made out in the corner, couched down unmoving. The darkness was heavy in the air, almost palatable and alive. Immediately She reached over and flipped the light switch, but got no results.

"Rainyday-san..." That child said carefully, he could clearly feel the magic in that air. "Why are you sitting in the corner?" he watched her head cock slightly to the side at his voice but she did not move from her position of staring into the corner. The Child teacher moved forward slowly eying the area around him.

"The frog in the well was happy." The girl whispered, seemingly to herself. Though the distant airy tone seemed to carry through the room. "It wasn't interested what was outside the well."

"Rainyday-san?" Negi frowned in confusion at the odd statement but did not halt his advance; ghostly masks seemed to fade in and out of his peripheral vision.

"The frog in the well was happy." She repeated, her head lolling to the other side. "It was recluse to anything that happened outside the well." Asuna could hardly repress the chill down her spine, watching Negi move closer to Zazie's odd position. Her muscles tensed she felt the need to move forward and stop him. There was something not right in this. Negi rested a hand on the girl's shoulder feeling her tense at the touch.

"You really should be laying down, it's not good for a cold."

"And you were happy." Zazie's voice gained an odd edge to it. Her hand came up and rested atop his own... "Because you didn't know what occurred outside the well." long spindly fingers curled around his wrist and she turned to look over her shoulder, Her face bore neither of her facial markings. Eye's red, glowing in the dim light. "Negi-sensei." her grip tightened as shadow tendril reached out from all sides.

"Negi!"

"No, he's mine! Get away!"

"Ah!"

Crimson droplets trickled to the floor. Negi hissed in pain as he was pulled from from Zazie's frantic grasp, her long claws leaving trailing wounds down his forearm. He did his best to use magic to dull the pain. As his thoughts began to gather he started to notice a rather familiar feeling against his back. Asuna was holding the boy against her, both having fallen to the floor in the brief but harsh struggle.

"Negi, are you okay?" she asked sitting up.

"I think so..." they're eyes turned toward the wall where a struggling Zazie was restrained by shadowy tendrils. Hardly a coherent word came from the girl as she thrashed violently in the shadow's unwavering grip. He could feel Asuna tighten her protective hold.

"Just what the hell is going on?"

"I-I don't know... Rainyday-san... what's happened to you?"

**"Dramatica Persona Theatrica! Ye Fiery Soul, Retreat from the world of Man to visit the Realm of Mab! Enchanted Sleep!"** a familiar voice sounds out of nowhere, but the effects can be seen as Zazie staggers slightly. Her struggles weaken enough for the shadows to bind her properly. A blast of smoke mysteriously appears between Zazie and the two others in the room.

"What the-"

"Wait, that voice..." When the smoke clears, Prosopeio is seen, an ancient looking curved staff in the Ringmaster's hand pointed at Zazie.

"Tis unfortunate, but I fear my memory is slipping in my old age. Young Negi, Kagurazaka-san, are you both alright?" Asuna looked over the new arrival carefully.

_Is that... another mage?_ Negi covered his wound.

"Don't worry this is nothing." he said rapidly, "But Rainyday-san...." he trailed off in concern looking to the feral girl now hanging limply in the shadows grasp.

"Yeah, what the hell is going on? why did she attack Negi?" Asuna finally found her voice but as the masked Mage's gaze settled her way she found herself wishing she hadn't spoken up. Prosopeio looks to Asuna and pointed the staff her way.

"Sadly, Kagurazaka-san... I cannot allow you to know. This is a matter for mages... not that you would know of them." a sinking feeling of deja vu filled her stomach as the mage began a spell. Though unlike the young mage in training's attempt there was a sureness to this... man's(?) voice.

"H-Hey hold on!" she swallowed only able to watch as the power built.

"Prosopeio-san wait!" Negi called out, trying to interpose himself between the caster and victim but it was too late.

**"Dramatica Persona Theatrical! Ancient spirits of nature, purge this soul of the events of this day! Memory Erasure!"** The tip of the staff started to glow... Only, instead of energy flying from the tip of the staff... a bright purple smoke billowing from the tip. "... w...what is this? The Spirits react strangely..." the tone seemed to imply a frown beneath the odd mask, a thick cloud of smoke enveloping both Asuna and Negi. Coughing the pair waved trying to clear the smoke, though even as it dissipated the pair were covered in a thick purple soot.

"Geez watch where you pull that stuff, you going to set off the sprinklers." she grumbled wiping the soot from her eyes.

"A backfire..." Negi gave a grateful sigh, but couldn't help but wonder a bit on why.

"Aw man... I'm going to have to take another bath now." the school girl muttered... at least she was still clothed.

"... You... bare some level of immunity?" Frowning, Prosopeio crossed arms.. before glancing at the door. "Shades of Zazira... Watch the door, ensure no one enters or overhears." white masks began to appear from all sides of the room.

"Immune?" Both Asuna and Negi said in a surprised unison. Asuna was quickly distracted by the white faces, hover over Negi unaware of his gaze turned her way.

Turning from the door, Prosopeio looked back at the two, before sighing. Moving to sit on a nearby chair, Prosopeio motioned to Negi and Asuna to find a place to sit. "Sit, both of you... Since I cannot affect Kagurazaka-san's memory, I'll have to rely on her sense of Honor. What I say does not get spread about... every word I tell you must be sworn to secrecy... else dark days will be ahead for everyone within the confines of this room.. am I understood?"

Negi Nodded, followed by a more hesitant Asuna... Her eyes traced the darkened room, chiefly between this strange masked man and the white faces that has appeared in the shadows. The day had certainly taken a turn for the strange... _Just what have I gotten myself involved in?_ A soft hiss of pain brought her from her musings to turn her attention to her young companion. "Negi, we should really wash that out."

"I'm fine," The boy said stubbornly, eyes focused on Prosopeio, occasionally wavering to the unconscious Zazie. Asuna frowned but it slowly melted into annoyance as she saw his focus. She pulled a pillow cover off and took a hold of the injured. "Ow! Asuna!"

"Quit squirming, I'm just going to apply some pressure." She muttered using the cover to wrap around the scratches. She held the dressed wound in a firm but gentle grasp with both hands. "There, that should hold things off "

"Um... Thank you Asuna-san"

"Don't worry about it..." Prosopeio watched on silently until their conversation trailed off before beginning the explanation. A soft, feminine sigh left Prosopeio as the masked mage looked towards the wrapped Zazie.

"Again, I must apologize... I've never had to worry about others before when this happened... " Sighing softly, Prosopeio thought for a moment. "Zazie.. is not like others... She comes from the same realm I do... though even then she is rare within the Magic Country.

"Wait, Magic country?"

"It's kind of hard to explain... but there's another world of sorts. It's hidden and can only be reached by portals. Mages are plentiful and there are all sort of amazing things... I haven't gone there myself admittedly though..."

"oh..." Asuna blinked, she didn't even want to consider the prospects of another world on top of the other revelations today so she filed that information aside for later.

"Please continue Prosopeio-san." The mage nodded and took a deep breath.

"Zazie... Her lineage is one that causes much contention... and though she can barely tap into her birthright, she carries within her unfathomable power... Due to her bloodline, her sleeping powers grow unchecked every so often... Since this is the first time Zazie has lived away from me when this happened.. I had.. sadly.. forgotten. This is not her fault... so please... do not blame her."

"So what... Zazie is some kind of super mage I mean..." Asuna frowned "She doesn't look very... Human, right now." the claws and glowing eyes, it seemed beyond the kind of mischief she'd seen from Her young teacher. Something much more alien.

"Well... Non-humans are in abundance in Magic Country. In truth... though Zazie is humanoid... she is not human. Though her current appearance is merely a side effect of her uncontrolled powers. When her powers are sealed.. she is truthfully as strong or as weak as a normal human. Her powers stem from powerful, ancient magic... though she herself is not a mage. Human Magicks would be far too difficult for her honestly." Prosopeio's tone held a little reluctance, the mage was choosing words with great care. To give satisfactory answers but keep some details obscured.

"Oh..." Asuna muttered trying to wrap her head around it all. "Sealed? Hm, well now that I think about it even with the glowy eye thing she never seemed really... powerful." she noted. The quiet girl had always been rather middle of the road in sports, save gymnastics.

"A seal... You mean. The tattoos?" Negi did his best to piece things together.

"Hm?"

"Her tattoos, they looked faded this morning, I thought she was just pale from being sick. But look, there not there anymore." He pointed to the girl's unblemished face.

"You are correct Young Negi."

"But if she's sealed what's with all the shadows? I mean... those weren't yours running all around the campus before right?" Negi looked over a new niggling doubt coming to his mind.

_The love potion... she shouldn't remember_ "Um no, I saw Zazie working with them." both sets of eyes turned back to the ringmaster.

"Those are not her power... those are.. gifts... servants that serve her mother. They are the Shades of Zazira. For reasons that must stay.. secret... her parents were forced to separate themselves from Zazie... but not without protection. As such... Zazira sent her Shades to guard and serve Zazie... as well as be her friends."

"Friends?" Asuna said dubiously glancing to some of the masks as they watched on. Negi couldn't help but feel a bit tight in his chest, memories of the hidden Box of presents, too timid to give.

"Will Rainyday-san be okay?" Standing up, Prosopeio glanced to Zazie and hummed softly.

"She will be... the Seals shall reinstate themselves once the Moon reveals itself again. Only during the night of the New Moon, when the Moon's face is completely hidden from the world, does the Seal lose its power. Now that you are aware of this Young Negi... you may be able to help her prevent this from happening." Moving to place a gentle hand on the sleeping Zazie's face, Prosopeio seemed to smile, the slight tilt of the head and gentle sigh seeming to reflect this. ".... For too long has she been afraid... I've done my best to reassure her... but because of the fear she has of harming others unintentionally, she is scared to make friends outside of those given to her by her mother. Her work at the Circus opens her up to others... but... I would be grateful if you and Kagurazaka-san helped her... " Glancing at Asuka and Negi, Prosopeio bowed slightly, lowering the head. "... please... help save her from her pain... and her loneliness..."

"...I had figured it was something to that effect" he sighed a little at the description of Zazie's relationships situation. "But I didn't realize it's seed was something like this..."

"I don't see how you could." His companion added, almost numb at this point. She'd learned more about her 'rival' in this conversation then she probably had any right too.

"Prosopeio-san, I promise... I will continue to do what I can to help." The boy mage said with no hesitation. The pressure on his wrapped wound grew as Asuna looked down, feeling uncomfortable with the heartfelt request.

"Um... I'll, I'll try to..." she muttered.

Thinking carefully, Prosopeio nodded.. before reaching a hand up and grasping the bottom of the everpresent mask. A small click was heard, before the lower half of the mask seemed to pull away, revealing the bottom of Prosopeio's nose and the entirety of the Masked Mage's mouth. Flashing a perfect smile, Prosopeio's voice seemed to ring almost melodically. "From the bottom of my heart... I thank you both."

"Prosopeio-san..." Negi gained a small smile of his own. "I won't let you down."

"I know you will not." The ringmaster's smile turned somewhat more bemused. "Now it has been a long night for you both I am sure. I will watch over Zazie tonight at my home. You need not worry, rest well and you will see her by tomorrow's morn."

"Okay," Asuna sighed, glad to have that responsibility lifted from her... she had a lot to think about. "But first we're going to the baths."

"Eh we?"

"I'm not going to leave purple smudges all over the room, besides we need to clean those scratches properly. Come on." she stood and began to calmly dragged the boy from the room.

"B-But Asuna-san, c-can;t we talk this over?" the boy squeaked as they disappeared into the hall. Prosopeio chuckled at the exchange.

"Ah, to be young once more." With a flourish the mage clicked the bottom half of the mask back in place and turned to Zazie. "I shall take her from here. You are free to meet me back at the cottage." reaching slowly into the shadow Prosopeio cradled the sleeping girl, the shadows loosening their hold and masked melting from sight once more. The mage brushed a few hairs from Zazie's face. "You are fortunate... you have more friends then you know little one." cape flowing the ringmaster turned and headed for the door, pausing and looking back to the empty room. "Where are my manners... Ladies first Aisaki-san."

"E-Eh? b-but-"

"You are welcome to sleep over as well. I'm sure Zazie-chan would appreciate it." Prosopeio motioned to the door, a somewhat flustered Sayo nodding before gliding through into the hall, followed a step behind by the enigmatic ringmaster.

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Zazie was used to the darkness, she clung to it unconsciously as she watched others live out in the light. A comforting blanket against uncertainties. Though the darkest of all nights, when the moon vanished from the sky, Zazie hid. Because on those dark, moonless nights there was a beast on the prowl.

Red eyes watched her from the corner it's form hidden in the inky black. She didn't dare move,she couldn't let her gaze wander for if she lost it's location it would be unlikely she'd find it again. It was only through this odd staring contest that the beast held still. She tried to keep the fear from her face, to ignore the cold chills from her spine. She could not acknowledge the beast's power or else it may think she was prey. So zazie remained stoic holding the eerie red gaze, mentally willing the sun to rise.

The clock on her wall ticked with an unerring precision. How much longer was there? She didn't dare check she could see the mass of shadow shift around dots of red. It was restless as well but was held in the spell, just as she was.

"Rainyday-san?"

The girl's breathing caught at the voice. It sounded close yet distant but it's familiarity was clear. But what could sensei be doing here? There was no one save for the beast and herself. It was stirring again, the red orbs seemed to crinkle up in dark amusement. Was this a trick? it must be, it had to be...

"Zazie..." Negi's voice spoke again, his voice carried on the wind. To hear her given name softly spoken in his voice caused her heart to race. The young teacher had never addressed her that informally... that familiar. It was playing with her, it had seen something she intended to hide. She had to ignore it, she had to stay strong.

"It's okay..." breath tickled her ear, the sensei's light tenor full of warmth. she could feel light touch on her shoulder. Without conscious thought she turned, hoping to see the young teacher's smiling face.

There was nothing but shadow.

Her eyes darted back to the front but nothing... the beast was free. The darkness allow around seemed alive with malevolent energies. The warmth of false hope was replaced with fear as she searched the shadows once more. She started slowly at first, walking through the inky black when she heard voices again. Though these held little in common with the comforting tenor of her teacher.

"Desire." Came a rumbling tone "I must take what is mine" it held a great hunger to it.. Zazie picked up her pace through the formless landscape. "Only I can have... belongs to me. No one else to take..." the volume came almost like waves, the malevolent feelings rushing over Zazie and receding. She ran, but couldn't seem to escape. Another voice chimed in.

"Weakness." this one was colder, where the first held a malevolent passion that was barely restrained, the second was tightly bottled disgust and loathing. "intolerable... must destroy...consume."

It felt like it got even darker as the words continued on but Zazie could hear no more of them she just ran, trying desperately to escape. Her legs screamed and her lungs burned as the impenetrable dark stretched on with no end in sight. In the end it was the acrobat that gave first, her weary legs crumbling and sending the girl sprawling to the floor.

She heard nothing but could feel the presence of the beast, she rolled over to her back to see the blazing red eyes. They loomed high above her nearly ten times the the size as before, eying her hungrily. The formless mass seemed to reach down for her the blazing spotlight eyes daring her to move.

"Stay...stay back..." she muttered softly closer her eyes tightly unable to look. As the presence grtew closer she could feel panic growing, there was not where to escape to. Nervous energy surged through her in a desperate panic she stuck out. She connected and seemed to hold the the beast, even to the point it was trying to pull away. At once the pressure left leaving an odd sticky feeling that was horrifyingly familiar.

Her eyes tentatively opened to eyes to a spindly hand dripping wet, blood perhaps. It was hard to tell in the crimson lit room. A small movement caught her attention drawing it away from the odd appendage. Laying on the floor were two formed huddled close eyes wide with fear. They spoke but she could barely here them, their voices held a muffled distorted quality making them hard to understand. Her mind was swimming and left her with a detached feeling to the scene. It was only at that point did she notice that something was holding her, keeping her from getting closer. She struggled unable to focus on the the fuzzy images that huddled out of sight. The bestial voices returns arguing and ranting drowning out her own thoughts. The cacophony rose louder to a maddening crescendo before it suddenly went silent, a single sentence ringing clear.

"Rainyday-san... what's happened to you?"

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With a gasp Zazie's eyes shot open, the haunting images still burning in her mind. Slowly reality began to sink in as she recognized where she was. Her old room. It was closing on a year now since left the ringmaster's cottage. It was much the way she had left it, much of the shelves empty save for a few nicknacks. She sat up slowly pulling the comforter a little closer to herself, in the morning chill. Morning light cast through the aged window, she tentatively reached out touching the old wood fondly.

"Eh? Zazie-san?" a nervous twitter brought the acrobat's attention to the door. She was greeted with smiling face of her classm- her friend Sayo Aizaka. The spectral girl's head and shoulders were hovering partway through her door. "Your awake! I was so worried. a-are you okay?" the girl asked very carefully, lightly biting her lower lip. She tense as the sight of looming crimson eyes flashed in her mind but kept it to herself.

"I'm fine." Zazie did her best to keep her voice level, it seemed to pacify the spirit.

"Oh good. One sec, I'll go get Prosopeio-san." She said excitedly as she slipped back through leaving the door undisturbed."Prosopeio-saaan!" the voice grew muffled as she headed off to part unknown. Zazie leaned heavily against the wall trying to focus on the tweeting of the early birds outside.

Moments later, the door was pushed open, allowing Zazie's masked guardian to enter. In the comfort of the Ringmaster's own home, the mask was reduced greatly, covering only the eyes and nose in an odd domino style. With a soft smile, Prosopeio took the seat next to the bed with a sigh of relief.

"It is good that you are awake, my dear. I was almost afraid you would miss class today" the masked Ringmaster said half in joke, he soft, soothing voice easily having a calming effect on the troubled girl. The darkness in the girls mind brightened somewhat at the presence of her guardian. School was hardly at the fore front of her mind but she allowed a slight pout at the thought.

"Good morning Ozu'laji." she greeted dutifully,though her heart wasn't fully in it. She idled touched the teardrop mark on her cheek. If she was waking up here that meant that here own protection ritual had failed... it was a fact that hadn't sank in until now. With a sigh and a shake of the head, Prosopeio reached out to Zazie and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

".... you likely do not remember anything, do you my dear?" It was less of a question and more of verifying a conclusion. Taking a good long look into Zazie's eyes, Proropeio sighed once more before nodding once, as if deciding something on the spot. "If you wish it... I will tell you all that has happened. Unlike other times, others were involved... it would be best if you understand what transpired before meeting them again." Zazie's heart fluttered uncomfortably as the Ringmaster spoke, dreading the serious tone.

"Did..." she tried to gather herself, a small waver in her voice. Her eyes looked around for something else to focus on catching sayo by the now open door. The spirit hung back uncomfortably, on catching the acrobat's eyes she looked down fidgeting a little. Her attention slowly came back to her guardian, a sick feeling in her stomach "Was someone injured?" her voice was but a whisper.

"Only lightly. Mostly, it was due to luck... and perhaps a small part of it being your own wish not to truly harm your teacher." An uncharacteristic surge of horror came to the normally stoic girl's face. Gently, Prosopeio pulled Zazie close, enveloping the girl in a hug as the masked performer rocked back and forth slightly in a familiar comforting position.

"I hurt..." she stopped as the bloodied claw flashed in her mind one more. It took a few moment before she even noticed the embrace or that she was even shaking. "I hurt Sensei..." she muttered with a mix of disbelief and shame. she grasp on to Prosopeio and buried her head in her Guardian's shoulder.

"He will gain perhaps a small scarring of his arm... but aside from that, he does not blame you. In fact, he expressed a great wish to help you... but then, I would expect no less from the child of That Man." She stiffened a little looking up to the ringmaster's half covered place with a small bit of surprise.

"He...he doesn't hate me?" she muttered before another thought past through her addled mind. "You didn't erase sensei's memory?" the secret of magic was not something to be passed around lightly. Chucking almost melodically, Prosopeio gave a shake of the head before speaking once more.

"No, dear one. He does not hate you... nor does your classmate Asuna. As to memory erasure... it is usually frowned up onto erase the memories of other mages." Gentle hands slowly stroked Zazie's back to help calm the girl down.

"Aww." Sayo watched parental affection and rare vulnerability with a small amount of guilt, it seemed like a private moment. The Guardian seemed to be almost motherly as she(?) held Zazie, the gentle smile on Prosopeio's face tender and warm in the eyes of the ghost girl. Caught in the warm moment she almost didn't notice the change in topic. "Eh? Negi-Sensei is a wizard!" she exclaimed effectively shattering the precious moment quickly clamped a hand over her mouth as her outburst drew a bemused smile from Prosopeio. Zazie blinked twice trying to process that bit of news.

"Sensei is... Kagurazaka-san. ahh." in the end she just groaned and laid her head back down. This was too much for one morning, she was tired all over again.

"Now, you should get yourself dressed. This is enough dramatic exposition for one day. Your seals are replaced, your clothes are pressed and hung in the closet. I have your lunch packed and a small breakfast waiting downstairs... and when you finish, you should have just enough time to get a ride from your friends to get to school on time." Gently kissing Zazie on the forehead, Prosopeio stood up, nodding to Sayo with a tender smile. "Please continue watching over my Little Star. And do not hesitate to come back here if you ever wish to chat, I have many stories to share about my dear Little Star." With a polite bow, Prosopeio walks out of the room, leaving Zazie to get ready. Sayo flushed a little bit and bowed carefully in return.

"Thank you mam..er sir? Um n-not to be rude but what should I call you by?" she asked softly as the door closed leaving her staring at it for a moment before she phased through after. "Prosopeio-san wait!" and once more Zazie was alone, mind swirling but this time for a whole new reason. Negi sensei and Asuna Kagurazaka... were mages?

To be continued

AN- We get a small glimpse into Zazie's backstory, more of which will be reveled in time. The next chapter will have a much more significant focus on Zazie and her time spent while the Baka's and Negi are underground. Though expect feelings to come to a head as the exams come to a close...


End file.
